Handling Stress at Work with Crystal Energy

So often we have stress at work from our bosses, co-workers, and the public, as a result of a small mistake blown out of proportion.  Typically, it isn't the BIG mistakes that we make that result in stress but is the small faux pas that seems to get us into trouble.  Of course, immediately you should apologize or try to make it right with the person that you have wronged or offended if possible.  Try to figure out the nature of the offense and why the person took it so badly and then make corrections in your own behavior.

Before stress occurs in the workplace, set up a harmonious environment for yourself and your co-workers.  If you only have a cubicle or even only a locker, keep your healing crystals available and nearby to promote harmony and cooperation. 

Green Aventurine and Citrine are good to strengthen your own self-confidence when it seems like everyone is against you or that you are making lots of mistakes.  A necklace could be worn, or pocket stone carried.  I recommend putting a large stone on your desk or somewhere where others can see it, too. 

Rose Quartz, Rhodonite, and Rhodocrosite will promote harmony as well as create an environment of unconditional love.  This is particularly needed when a workplace has many divergent types of personalities and those personalities clash.  A grid around the office or desk with those stones can work wonders. 

And lastly, Calcite provides motivation and facilitates change.  A large cluster of Calcite in a prominent location would be beneficial if change is what is needed in the workplace, whether it is your own attitude that needs to be changed or the attitudes/work habits of others. 

Repeating positive affirmations about work while at work can create a positive attitude - fake it til you make it is the key here.  Here are some of the positive affirmations I have compiled that I use for this purpose:

I am doing work that I enjoy.

My work is fulfilling.

I do not settle for meaningless and boring work.

My co-workers are supportive of my efforts.

I get along well with my co-workers.

I work at a steady pace to achieve my goals.

I control my anger at work.

I make correct decisions at work.

My co-workers and supervisor want me to be a success.

I can change my work when I so desire.

I enjoy my co-workers.

I love my co-workers and wish them the best in their endeavors.

I act in a profession manner.

 

If you are able, soothing music can be played.  Music that is designated as "Reiki Music" is especially soothing and comforting. 

Remember - you may have to fake it for awhile until it all turns around for you.  Act as though everything is fine and act as if everyone loves you and only wants the best for you. 

Hang in there  -

 

 

Don't Forget the Quartzsite Rock Shows in January 2014

Everyone around here gets so excited about the Tucson Rock and Gem Shows that sometimes we forget about the Quartzsite shows - right out our back door!  I have always found lots of great rocks at the Quartzsite shows but the trick is to get there EARLY.  Parking is a pain so go early to get a good spot. 

Quartzsite is a small town, population about 2,000 people, in western Arizona.  it is about 20 miles east of the Colorado River on I-10.  Its been around over a hundred years.  In 1856, an early settler named Charles Tyson settled there after finding a source of water, he built a fort there to protect his water supply and it became known as Fort Tyson.  Fort Tyson became a popular stopover on the Ehrenburg - Prescott stagecoach route.  The area became known as Tyson's Wells.  Unfortunately, the stage stopped running and the town was abandoned.

Quartzsite started having rock and gem shows in the 1960s.  Back then people camped out, and it was wild and wooly.  Today, there are winter visitors showing up in multi-million dollar RVs and campers.  The town attracts over one million visitors every winter.  There is a veritable smorgasboard of over 2,000 vendors selling rocks, gems, minerals, fossils, jewelry, jewelry findings, and every else under the sun to create the world's largest open-air flea market and swap meet. 

This year's shows start EARLY - January 1 for one of the shows.  Like I said, get there early - before the shows open to get a good parking spot.  Drink coffee, eat doughnuts, plan your strategy while you wait.  Some of the shows open early so start a little early.

Before you go in - make a list to keep you on track -  what you need to buy, what you would like to buy, and maybe a couple of frivolous items.

Remember to bring:
List of what you need to buy
Cart for wheeling your purchases back to the car
Cash money and credit cards
Copy of Sales Tax Permit if you want to buy wholesale
Pencil and pad for remembering what you saw where and at what price
Folding stool or chair (stick in cart) - there are not always places to sit when you get tired
Hat - sometimes it is hot
Wear layers to take off if you need to
Bottle of water and high energy snacks
Fisherman's vest with lost of pockets to stash money, chap stick, water, business cards
Smart Phone or Ipad
Backpack to store those clothing layers that you took off

Shows for 2014
Jan. 1. - Feb 28     Desert Gardens Gem, Rock, and Mineral Show
Jan. 2 - Feb. 15    Prospectors Panorama
Jan. 3 - Feb. 12    Tyson Wells Rock and Gem Show
Jan. 6 - 26            The New Main Event
Jan. 22-26            QIA Pow Wow Gem and Mineral Show      

Chakra Stones - What Stone goes with what Chakra?

I have many crystal healing newbies asking what stones should be used with what chakra.  The confusion seems to exist because some stones are used for more than one chakra.  Different authors and different teachers also have different ideas on what healing crystals should be used for certain chakras. 

Below is a list that gives options for the different chakras.  Use the stones you have if possible and see how they work.  You might find that some stones work better on some chakras - also it might depend on the nature of the healing that should take place and also the recipient of the crystal healing and their attitude/motivation.  Experiment and see what works best for you!

Crown Chakra:
Amethyst
Diamond
Herkimer Diamond 

 

Fire Agate
Jade
Labradorite
Opal
Clear Quartz
Purple Howlite
Purple Dalmatian Stone
Selenite
Petalite
Larimar
Pyrite
Smoky Quartz
Ruby
Opalite

Third Eye Chakra:
Amethyst
Carnelian
Emerald
Malachite
Lapis Lazuli
Sodalite
Turquoise
Shiva Agate

Throat Chakra:
Amber
Aquamarine
Citrine
Blue Lace Agate
Turquoise
Sodalite
Blue Topaz
Blue Storm Agate
Fluorite
Clear Quartz
Larimar

Heart Chakra:
Bloodstone
Rose Quartz
Ruby
Chrysoprase
Malachite
Jade
Topaz
Pink Opal
Opal
Emerald

Solar Plexus:
Amber
Citrine
Moonstone
Opal
Golden Quartz
Smoky Quartz
Yellow Jasper
Yellow Fluorite
Yellow Howlite
Yellow Dalmatian Stone
Peach Selenite
Orange Elestial
Orange Millenium Carnelian

Sacral Chakra:
Red Jasper
Amber
Carnelian
Coral
Garnet
Ruby
Red Opal
Red Dalmatian Stone
Fire Agate

Base Chakra
Bloodstone
Labradorite
Smoky Quartz
Jasper
Agate
Lodestone
Hematite
Jet
Black Onyx
Sardonyx
Moqui Marbles
Shungite

Experimentation is the key - you will find that you like certain stones better than others for certain chakras.  Let me know what you discover!

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Selenite Healing Crystal - the Spiritual and Meditation Worker of the Mineral Kingdom

Selenite – the Spiritual and Meditation Worker

 

Selenite comes from the Greek words “selene” which means “moon,” and “lithos” which means “stone.”  It was believed to wax and wane with the moon.  Selenite is a crystallized form of Gypsum.  It is a very soft mineral and should be kept dry, never immersed in water.  If Selenite gets wet, it will dissolve.

 

 

Selenite has several metaphysical uses – it is believed to help garner protection from the angelic beings, and help connect with one’s guides or guardians.  It raises one’s Higher Self and Christ Consciousness.  It protects one from the dark influences and shields the user from negative energy.  During meditation, Selenite can help one gain access to past or future lives.  It provides a clear picture, letting one see what needs to be done to resolve a situation.  Selenite is an excellent tool to cleanse and recharge other healing crystals.  Selenite never needs to be cleansed or recharged itself. 

 

Mentally and emotionally, Selenite sooths and comforts.  It provides peace and tranquility.  Selenite can be used in a grid in the corners of a room or in a tabletop grid to promote harmony within a home and create a safe, peaceful environmental for children and family. It can also be used to strengthen the memory and aid in memory retention.

Physically, Selenite will heal and repair on the cellular level by removing energy blockages, and is often associated with the spine and skeletal system.  Selenite has been said to help those with epilepsy by decreasing seizures. It is also believed to be good for a breast feeding mother.

 

Selenite can be found in many forms – as a rough stone, a tumbled stone, made into lamps and candleholders, as a lighted cathedral, wands, carvings, and as slabs.  They are perfect to use in grids and as an accessory in a room because of their gentle, healing vibration. 

Shungite – Merlin’s Magical Stone

 

Shungite is a rare and exciting stone from the Karelia area in Russia.  Although it may be new to some of us in the healing crystal world, it isn’t new at all but is 2 billion years old and was well known to the people of the region. Shungite has been used in medical treatment since the early 18th-century.   Peter the Great, that great czar of Russian, was known to have used water that had been infused with Shungite.  He built Russia's first spa in Karelia to utilize the water purifying properties of shungite.  Peter the Great also instituted its use in providing purified water for the Russian army. The anti-bacterial properties of shungite has been confirmed by modern testing.

The origin of Shungite is a mystery – some say it came from outer space.  Others claim it was formed in ancient oceans and then ended up on land when those oceans dried up. 

The origin is less important than what it does.  Shungite contains Fullerenes which are powerful anti-oxidants.  Shungite is, in fact, the only known natural source of Fullerenes in the world.  Scientists doing research on Shungite won the Nobel Prize, their work was considered that important!  The use of Fullerenes are being explored for industrial use in stopping UV damage, to use in solar electric generating devices, and to help alleviate allergies. 

 

http://tinyurl.com/ow9bl7g

Shungite is said to purify water which is then drunk by the user for a wide range of health problems including relief from allergies, and to help skin conditions.  It is also purported to boost energy levels and promote overall healing.  Some people claim Shungite will neutralize any organism within the body that is harmful. 

People use shungite to shield them from the electro-magnetic radiation given off by computers, mobile phone, televisions, and microwaves.  Many people keep Shungite on both sides of their computer and monitor as protection.

Metaphysically, Shungite is a strong stone for grounding and connecting one to earth.  It can infuse the auric field with light and allows only positive energy through.  It offers psychic protection for those engaging in astral travel and vision quests.  It is associated with the wizard Merlin and would be a good combination with Merlinite stone and with Preseli Bluestone, a stone also associated with Merlin and The Legend of King Arthur. 

 

The Evil Eye and What to Do About It

What is Meant by the Evil Eye?

 

For thousands of years, various cultures have had a term for the “Evil Eye.”  What is meant by this?  Ancient cultures believed that malicious looks were very powerful and could bring disaster or even death to the receiver of the “look.” Not just a malicious stare could be considered the Evil Eye, but also excessive praise and fawning over a person, particularly a child or newborn baby.  

Ancient Greeks and Romans first warned against the Evil Eye.  If one received praise and admiration that was not warranted, this would manifest itself in mental and physical disease.  Any illness without an apparent cause was attributed to the Evil Eye.

The Evil Eye works on the premise that if one is gazing at another with jealousy or evil intent, it can not help but create evil and cause harm.  The Turks believed that there were two types of the Evil Eye – conscious and unconscious.  The unconscious Evil Eye was not intentional, the person giving the Eye was not intentionally creating it, maybe they just had jealous pangs as they gazed on a person’s jewelry or clothing or new car.  The intentional Evil Eye was, of course, the most destructive – the person is intentionally staring at a person with the intent of creating harm and possibly death.

There were several ways to guard against the Evil Eye.  Many ceremonies and rituals were put into place to ward off the Evil Eye and protect against it.  Usually people just wore a piece of jewelry or some sort of talisman to guard against it.  These items were worn or hung in home, and public buildings, and made into jewelry. 

People still believe in the Evil Eye and wear jewelry and amulets to protection against this ancient evil. 

Our Shiva Third Eye Agates are a popular item on our store at www.shopciscotraders.com

The Curse of the Blue Diamond

The Curse of the Blue Diamond

 

Crystals and gems have been allegedly cursed throughout history.  One of the greatest legends is that of the Hope Diamond aka as the French Blue or Blue Diamond, which has to be the world’s most unlucky gemstone.  The fabulous color – blue – is because of small amounts of boron within its crystal structure; it also exhibits red phosphorescence after exposure to ultraviolet light. 

There are varying accounts of the diamond and the curse but here is my favorite:

Legend has it that a French trader, Jean-Baptiste Tavenier, stole the diamond (originally 112.5 carats) from the eye of an idol in the Temple of Rama Sitra.  The bad luck starts here with Jean-Baptiste going bankrupt, and sailing for India to reclaim his fortune.  He died on the ship to India, a pathetic and broken man.  Another report claims Jean-Baptiste was torn apart by wolves!

(However, Susanne Patch, author of Blue Mystery: The Story of the Hope Diamond, says that the diamond is unlikely to have ever come from the head of an idol or statue which blows the whole curse theory but I digress….)

Before his death, Jean-Baptiste sold the stone to Louix XIV in 1668.  Louis XIV had the diamond cut into a heart shape and let his mistress wear it. His mistress, Madame de Montespan,  became embroiled in a rather outrageous scandal.  It was alleged that the Madame was somehow involved with some older women who provided Black Magic potions or poisons for disposing of unwanted husbands and lovers. Ouch!  Madame de Montespan fell out of the king’s favor as a result of the scandal.  The other women involved were tried in court secretly and burned at the stake!

Louis’ descendant, King Louis XV had the jewel reset but it fell into disuse after his death.  His grandson, King Louis XVI, let his wife, Marie Antoinette wear it although there is some disagreement about  whether she really wore it or not.  In any event, both Louis and Marie were beheaded in 1793. 

It was believed stolen after that and missing for twenty years. 

In 1830 the diamond surfaced again but had been reduced from 112.5 carats to 44.5 carats.   Henry Thomas Hope, a banker, purchased the stone for 18,000 pounds.  At that point, it became known as the Hope Diamond.  Hope and his family survived the diamond – that is, until the popular singer May Yohe, married Lord Francis Hope.  The Hopes had marital problems from the beginning and May gave a prophecy that the diamond would bring bad luck to anyone who owned it.  May ran off with another man, and died in poverty, always blaming the diamond and never her own poor choices.  Lord Francis himself was in a lot of financial trouble as a result of overspending and having a lavish lifestyle and sold the diamond in the early 1900s. 

The next owner, Jacques Colot, a French broker went insane and committed suicide.  But it is believed he sold it to the Russian Prince Kanitovsi first.  The Prince lent it to a French actress at the Folies Bergere who was shot by the Prince himself from his own box the first night she wore it!  He didn’t fare so well either as he was shot by revolutionaries.

Simon Mantharides, a Greek jewelry, then bought the diamond and met his demise over the edge of a cliff – accident or homicide?

A Turkish sultan, Abdul Hamid aka Abdul the Damned, bought the gemstone in 1908 and was deposed the following year.  But first he went insane!

The next owner Habib Bey, drowned.

An American purchased it next, Edward Beale Maclean, owner of the Washington Post.  His mother immediately died thereafter as did two servants in his household.  His ten year old son, Vinson, ran out of the house and was hit by a car and killed.  Maclean and his wife, Evelyn, separated, he was plagued with scandal, and became an insane alcoholic, committing suicide.  Evelyn kept the diamond and dismissed curse stories as bizarre fabrications.  However, her daughter committed suicide in 1946.  People noted that Evelyn had worn the diamond to the young woman’s wedding.  Evelyn died in 1947.

Harry Winston, a New York jeweler, bought all of Evelyn’s jewelry and presented the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian in 1958 where it is still exhibited for the viewing public (Hope Diamond in its new setting – see below).

What a wild story!  There are several legends concerning the Hope Diamond, some without any curse mentioned at all.

 

It is a beautiful stone with or without the curse.

 

References:

http://anilbalan.com/2012/01/24/the-curse-of-the-idols-eye/

Patch, Susanne. Blue Mystery: The Story of the Hope Diamond

Wikepedia

 

Pony Express and the Butterfield Overland Mail Company - What's the Difference?

What is the difference in the Pony Express and the Butterfield Overland Mail Company? 

Well, the similarities are that they both brought mail out West from the East Coast of the United States.  There the similarity ends.

The Butterfield Overland Mail Company had the U.S. mail contract for six years from 1857 - 1861.  In all, it employed 800 people at its peak with over 1800 horses and mules in service.  There were 139 relay stations.  The last run was made on March 21, 1861 right before the Civil War started. 

The Butterfield Overland Mail Company went from Tipton, Missouri to San Francisco, California and did go through Arizona, unlike the Pony Express.  It crossed into Arizona to Yuma, crossed the Colorado River, and then up the coast of California to San Francisco.  The big problem with the Overland Mail Company was that it used stage coaches to deliver the mail and took 24 days, and was constantly harassed by bandits and Apache Indians.  One rider described the journey as"now knowing what Hell was like."  With the looming certainty of the Civil War, the Butterfield Overland Mail Company was discontinued and the Pony Express began, a more expedient way to deliver the mail.

There are surviving stations at Oak Grove and Warner Springs, California.  Warner Springs in San Diego County has been declared a National Historic Landmark with two original adobe buildings.  There is a proposed Butterfield Overland Trail National Historic Trail now in the works. 


The Pony Express operated in 1860 until 1861 and became the Western United States's fastest means of communication with the rest of the country until the telegraph became established in 1861.  The Pony Express took about 10 days to deliver the mail.  The riders had to be tough - the advertisement for Pony Express riders was the following -

Wanted: Young, skinny, wiry fellows not over eighteen.  Must be expert riders, willing to risk death daily.  Orphans preferred.

Each rider was presented with a Bible and took an oath not to cuss, drink, gamble, or be mean to animals. 

The Pony Express route went over the top of Arizona and went through Nevada due West.  The most famous Pony Express rider was probably Buffalo Bill Cody who memorialized it in his autobiography and Wild West Shows. 

Mojave Mike Climbs Obsidian Hill

Mojave Mike had a great idea to check out Obsidian Hill over by the Salton Sea the other day so off we went.  With my knee, I was not up for the trek, but Mojave Mike hiked it and brought back some samples.  

Here is a photo of Mojave Mike hiking up the hill.  You can see the chunk of obsidian at the top.

                                         Sample of Obsidian that Mojave Mike brought back to car

Obsidian is a naturally occurring volcanic glass formed as an extrusive igneous rock, the result of cooled lava.  Obsidian is hard and brittle; it is sharp!  So if you go exploring up there, wear gloves if you want to pick up the obsidian.  It is mineral-like but not a true mineral because it is a glass and does not have a crystalline structure and is sometimes classified as a mineraloid.  Obsidian is usually dark in appearance, dark brown or black, but can vary.  Sometimes the inclusionn of small, white clustered crystals of cristobalite in the black glass gives a snowflake pattern, hence, you have Snowflake Obsidian.  

                                       Snowflake Obsidian available from  www.ciscotraders.net


Obsidian is used for knife blades and for scalpel blades for research or surgery on animals (not approved by FDA for human surgery) and to make jewelry and decorative items. Metaphysically, it is purported to be the "stone of truth" and also to dispel negativity.

Obsidian Hill is a small hill located on Red Hill Island which is a small island located off the eastern shores of the Salton Sea in southeastern California.  The Salton Sea itself was actually formed by a canal breach from the Colorado River during a big flood.  The area was a depression (below sea level) and so filled up with water.  The water is very salty and full of chemicals due to the local farming runoff.  Not a good idea to go wind surfing in this water!  Anyway, it is very smelly and not so pleasant although the day we were there it was nice and breezy and not unpleasant at all, it was actually quite nice. 

                                                        Mojave Mike surveys the Salton Sea

The Salton Sea is a waypoint for migrating birds; much of the Salton Sea is managed as the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge.   We even saw a HUGE pelican swimming merrily along.  This thing was ENORMOUS, we were easily 1000 feet away from it and look how big it was!

But I digress....

Red Hill Island is a cool place with some interesting rock formations.  

How to get there:
Go on state highway CA 111.  About halfway between the towns of Niland and Calipatria, turn west on Sinclair Road, go about three miles on Garst Road, and go north 1.5 miles to Red Hill Road.  Go west on Red Hill Road to the island.  You will see Obsidian Hill at this point and follow it around to see Red Hill Island and the Salton Sea.  

Along the way you will also see the Mudpots, bubbling away.  It is signed with "No Trespassing Keep Out" signs but no one seems to heed the warnings. There were about five people out there that day on the site.  Very cool place but creepily has some huge cracks in the ground, making me wonder if I would be a Mudpot Sinkhole victim!  Luckily, we made it out okay but not before Mojave Mike was sprayed with hot mudpot goo when he got too close filming one of the mudpots!   

All along those roads and at the Salton Sea you will see the Geothermal Power Plants.  There are a total of seven plants and the steam plumes are clearly visible from many miles away.  Very awesome sight to behold!

Quartz Crystals - the Workhorse of the Crystal Kingdom

Quartz is one of the most common minerals on the Earth.  It is easily found on the ground here in Arizona and throughout the Southwest.  The Quartz Family displays an entire panoramic spectrum, in a dizzying array of colors. 

The following are all members of the Quartz Family and have unique colors and qualities:

Agate comes in many colors, can be banded or layered.
Amethyst is usually a lavender or pale red-violet although it is sometimes found darker, almost black
Aventurine is iridescent and available in dark green, light green, pink, white, red and even a blue.
Blue Quartz is typically found as a dull blue color.
Carnelian is a nice red-brown or orange-red color.

Chalcedony is found as a blue or gray color.
Citrine usually is a light yellow to gold-brown, different grades will have varying intensities.
Dendritic Agate comes as a white-gray with fern-like images.

Fossilized Wood comes in gray, brown, or red and a combination of those colors.
Bloodstone is a dark green color with red spots.
Jasper can be almost any color, and usually is striped or spotted.
Moss Agate is colorless with green inclusions.
Onyx is a black base with white upper layer so can be found as white stone or black stone.
Opal comes in a variety of colors - pink, white, red, yellow, opalescent.
Prasiolite is a leek-green color.

Rock Crystal is white to colorless.
Rose Quartz can be a strong pink varying to a very pale pink.
Sardonyx has various colors, usually a dark brown or blck with some white.
Smoky Quartz is brown to black, or a smoky gray color
Tigers Eye can be gold-yellow to brown, red, even blue, and a combination of all.

Quartz is indigenous to Earth, comprised of silicon dioxide which is one of the earth's most common mineral compounds. As humans, we also are made up of the Earth so is it any wonder that we resonate with Quartz so well?