BLUE LACE AGATE

 Blue lace agate is a variety of banded Chalcedony and a quartz mineral. It has bands of layers of a beautiful sky blue which vary in hues. It was first discovered in Namibia, but it has also been found in South Africa, Brazil, India, China, and United States.

Agate was discovered with the artifacts of the Neolithic people, and in ancient Babylon, they were used as healing amulets and ornamentation. The Greek and Egyptian civilizations also used this stone for medicinal purposes.

This crystal has a connection with the throat chakra, and it helps with communication, shyness, and helps those that work directly with talking in public. It helps with laryngitis, sore throat, thyroid problems, and it opens the voice. The blue lace agate also has the healing property to calm and soothe nervousness, bringing peace and coolness.

I have a funny story about this stone; sometimes things just disappear and we can't find them as much as we look for. I had a beautiful piece of blue lace agate which I used during the night for healing, and in the morning it just fell off my bed. My husband and I looked for the stone everywhere around the area; under the bed, on the corners, closet. We just couldn't find it! Sometimes I think the place we live must have some kind of portal to other dimensions and things just disappear when they go through the portal. 😃 No, seriously, we had other weird experiences here in this small town of South Dakota where we live, which is known for some paranormal activities.

TREE HUGGING

Nature is a medicine for us all, for some health issues such as loneliness, anxiety, depression, stress, we can get from Nature the healing energy to cleanse our spirits. Scientists are beginning to realize that the hippies were right when "hugging trees". This action did not simply represent the hippie philosophy of their time, but actually hugging trees has some good benefits on our health. 

Trees have unique vibrations that can affect our well-being. They are grounding and they give us a feeling of security. When you hug a tree, imagine that all your worries are being absorbed and being sent to the earth to be recycled.

In return, imagine that you are receiving all the strength from the tree to help you with your concerns.

At the same time, always remember to thank the trees and Nature for the soothing and healing energy that they transmit. Planting more trees is also a good way to give back to Nature to keep the positive cycle going.

EXERCISE TO OPEN YOUR CHAKRAS

Here is a simple exercise you can do to help to open up your chakras, using visualization and breathing technique.

First, you should know that there are seven major chakras in our body, and they should be vibrating with their bright corresponding color, and whenever you can visualize them, it's important to notice if the color is bright, dull or dark. To be working properly in order to replenish your glands with energy coming from the astral body, the chakras should be spinning with bright colors. If they are blocked or damaged for many reasons, such as, bad food, alcohol or drug abuse, anger and other bad feelings, or blocks which are present in your aura, even from past lives, then the chakras will have a dull color and not spin nicely, or there is going to be a dark, stagnant energy blocking it from receiving vital energy. For this reason, doing exercises to clean the chakras can help to make the vital energy pass through them and better your health in many levels.
So, first, sit confortably on a chair with your spine erect, or on the floor, if you can, using meditation pose, with crossed legs.
With your eyes closed, take a few deep breaths to feel relaxed before you start the visualization.
Now, visualize a vortex of energy on the base of your spine, like a spinning cone with the point towards your body and the opening towards the earth. The color of this chakra should be bright red. Take a deep breath and see the color red in the in breath, then when you exhale, pay attention to what color you see. If you don't see the bright red, keep inhaling more and sending that bright red color towards that chakra, until you see the same vibrant color coming out in your exhaling. If the color you see is a little faded, it means you need more energy on the chakra. If the color is dark, the chakra needs to be cleared. 
Next, you keep the image of the red chakra on your mind and do the same on the second chakra, which is a few inches below the navel. That should be reddish-orange, and you should visualize two vortices, one in the front, one in the back.
Keeping the visualization of the two chakras, now you go up to the third one, over the solar plexus. Visualize bright yellow for this chakra, front and back.
Next chakra is the heart center, and the color is bright green. Visualize and do the same breathing exercise, until moving to the next one, which is the throat chakra. In the mean time continue holding the visualization of all the chakras already energized.
In the throat chakra visualize the color blue, light or turquoise blue.
Moving up to the third vision, the center between the eye brows, visualize indigo blue, front and back. 
Finally moving up to the top of your head, you will visualize the crown chakra in violet. When you finish with this chakra, then you visualize all the 7 chakras vibrating and spinning clockwise, and the vertical current of the energy that moves up the spine to the top of your head. As you inhale see the current going up; as you exhale the current goes back down.
Now your magnetic field is energized with the chakras being cleaner. This is a good exercise to do before doing any healing session, or to do a few times a week to keep your chakras clear and energized, this way keeping the vital energy flowing in harmony through your whole body.

THE RITUAL OF THE MANDALA

The word mandala comes from Sanskrit and it means circle or center; it's a geometric configuration of symbols. Mandala is used as a spiritual guidance tool to focus the attention of the practitioner, to establish a sacred space, and to help with meditation or for trance induction.
Carl Jung was responsible for re-introducing mandala to the Western thought. When exploring the unconscious through his own art making he observed the motif of the circle drawings being a reflection of his inner state. Being familiar with Eastern philosophy, he adopted the word mandala to describe the drawings that were made by him and his patients.
Jung wrote in his autobiography: "I sketched every morning in a notebook a small circular drawing...which seemed to correspond to my inner situation at the time...Only gradually did I discover what the mandala really is...the Self, the wholeness of the personality, which if all goes well is harmonious. (From Memories, Dreams, Reflections - Carl Jung)
Jung recognized that the need to make mandalas comes during times of intense personal growth. Creating mandalas help to stabilize, integrate, and re-order inner life.
We find mandalas throughout many cultures and religions: Hinduism, Buddhism, Mayan and Aztec civilizations, Persian art, Native American cultures, and also in Christianity.
John Dee, Alchemist, mathematician and astrologer who was an adviser to Queen Elizabeth I, developed a geometric symbol which he called the "Sigillum Dei", the "Seal of God", manifesting a universal geometric order which incorporated the names of the Archangels. This was derived from earlier forms of the "Key of Solomon".
Mandala coloring is a very nice way to relax your mind; while you pick the combination of colors you are putting your mind into a kind of meditative state which will bring calmness, and that can also help to bring forth your creativity. A good activity not only for kids, but also for adults and elders.

The Ritual of the Mandala

                                    

To Him Who is the Lord of the Center
The Diamond Weaver
The invisible Father of the Sun
Who is seated on the throne of the Archetypes
Teller of the Fables of the Celestial Night
Dreamer of the Visions of all Men
Teacher of the Twelve-fold Rites of the Sun
Keeper of the Book of Days
Seed of the Names of All Things
Seer of All Entrances and Partings
He who sets in motion the Elements and Seasons
And Who places the Rainbow Border on all Creation...

You, O Nameless One, We invoke:
Enter our hearts and speak through us
Lend to us the Vision of Unity
Teach us the Science of the Whole
Make known to us once again the Rite of the Mandala.

Hear us, O Lord of the Center
Keeper of the Radiant Law
In our silence may Your Voice ring clear.

We are as Seeds:
Only You Who walk the Sky
Can show to us the Path
Our feet must follow in this Earth
Only You can heal and make us whole
Only through our submission to You
May we heal ourselves and become whole - 

In this way may we be led once again on the Path of Beauty.

From Mandala - by Jose and Miriam Arguelles

THE EYE OF HORUS

In the hieroglyphs of Ancient Egypt we find mention about the Eye of Horus, also known as the Udjat, wadjet, or Oudjat, which is a symbol for spiritual awakening, protection, the power of royalty and good health. Horus is a god from Egyptian mythology, who defeated powers of darkness, established order, harmony and productivity. Horus was the offspring of Isis and Osiris. 
When Osiris became the king of Egypt he was a good and just king; he established the rule of the law (Maat), and with the help of the god Thoth, he taught a new religion to men and the arts of civilization, thus, Egypt became prosperous and had peace.
However, his brother Seth feeling jealous, plotted against him, and Osiris was murdered. Then Isis, his consort, with the help of Thoth, brought Osiris back to life, and soon after, Horus was born. 
Osiris' task on earth was then completed, and he transfigured himself into a star being, which is Orion constellation, and went to be a ruler of the Kingdom of the dead, the Duat. 
Isis by her turn, is identified with Sothis (Sirius), being the astral mother of the living king. Sirius, the brightest star in the sky and its constellation, Canis Major, immediately follows Orion in its rising.
Horus grew up to be a prince, and later revenged his father Osiris, and when fighting Seth, Horus lost his left eye. The god Thoth then helped Horus, restored his eye, which then became a symbol of protection for the living and the dead, and he was proclaimed the king of Egypt.

There is a theory that the eye of Horus could be a map of the brain.

When we compare the symbol of Udjat (eye of Horus) with the picture of the brain, we can see a similarity. 

The eye represents the thalamus, the eye brow is the corpus callosum, the tear duct and tear drop symbolize the pituitary and medulla oblongata. The long spiral arch that goes down the eye is the cerebellum, and the small point on the end is the pineal gland, or third eye.

The Egyptians had many amulets depicting the Udjat which accompanied them to the afterlife, which were decorated with semi-precious stones on bracelets, necklaces, and pendants.. It was intended to protect the soul from harm and bad luck during the journey.

THE NECTAR OF IMMORTAL LIFE

There is a potion that when ingested, is believed to grant eternal life; it's the elixir of life, or nectar of immortal life. This elixir of life is known by many different names through many cultures; names such as, ambrosia, amrita, liquid gold, soma, haoma, etc. What is exactly this potion or elixir of life?
In the sacred Indian text of the Rig Veda, written by the seer Rishi Kashyapa, there is an entire chapter devoted to a mysterious substance called soma, also called Soma Pavamana or Indu, which promises eternal life. Soma is a drink of living drops that come from the stalks of a legendary soma plant.

Here are a few verses of the Rig Veda;
"Where light is perpetual, in the world in which the sun is placed, in that immortal imperishable world place me, Pavamana; flow, Indu, for Indra. Where in the third heaven, in the third sphere, the sun wanders at will, where the regions are filled with light, there make me immortal; flow, Indu, for Indra. Where there is happiness, pleasures. joy and enjoyment, where the wishes of the wisher are obtained, there make me immortal; flow, Indu, for Indra."

Many believe that soma is a compound found in a rare Himalayan plant called knotweed vine, which might be the potent antioxidant resveratrol proven to slow down the aging process.
The yogis believe that soma can be self-generated in the pineal gland, thus, rejuvenating the body. But, there is a special way to obtain the soma, and it's only through deep meditation practiced for long periods of time, as well as through a special Yogic exercise called khechari mudra, combined with the meditation.
Therefore, you must first delve into meditation practice with a pure intent and perseverance. 

Khechari mudra:
The word khechari means to roll back your tongue and focus on the point between your eyebrows, either with closed or open eyes. The purpose of this mudra is to raise the kundalini and access the immortal elixir produced in the pineal gland. According to the Vedas, this elixir brings health, spiritual awakening and immortality.
To practice it, roll your tongue upward and backward, so the lower surface of your tongue comes into contact with your upper palate. Stretch the tip of your tongue backward as far as possible, without straining and keep the pressure at that point. At the same time, focus your attention on the third eye center, between your eyebrows, with your eyes open or closed. You can also do rhythmic breathing exercises when doing the khechari mudra. 

CRYSTALS AND CHAKRAS

Talking about crystals, which one is your favorite? Amethyst? Clear quartz? What about turquoise? I personally like all of the above and other kinds too. They each have a purpose, a different healing property. You may feel drawn to one special stone, because that could be your color, let's say you like red, so you could be attracted by red jasper, or garnets. But it could also mean that when you feel attracted for a particular stone, it's because you may be in need of that stone's properties.
So, when you correlate the stones to chakra healing for instance, you will see that for each chakra a particular stone is used to balance and clear that chakra. Below is a simple list of the chakras and the crystals that work on them. But first, what is chakra? If you are new to this word and subject, chakra is a Sanskrit word that means circle or wheel. They are invisible vortex of energy that corresponds to a particular area of your body, usually connected to glands.
The main chakras are: 
The root chakra, color red, it's the grounding chakra.
The sacral chakra, color orange, related to creative life force energy, sexual energy.
Solar plexus chakra, yellow, over the navel area, self-confidence, will power.
Heart chakra, green/rose, heart center, it's the bridge or gateway between the lower and the higher chakras.
Throat chakra, blue, on the throat area, the center of communication, creative expression.
Third eye chakra, indigo blue, between the eyebrows, associated with the pineal and pituitary glands. It's the seat of the higher mind, wisdom, clairvoyance, knowledge.   
Crown chakra, purple, top of head. It's the center of divine union, spiritual enlightenment.

There are other minor chakras around the subtle body. One of them is on the palms of your hands; they are the ones that can transmit healing energy during healing practices. Another one is above the crown chakra in the color gold.

So, for the root chakra you would use a red jasper.  For the sacral chakra, use amber. Solar plexus, citrine.  Heart center you can use peridot, turquoise, green fluorite, or a rose quartz, depending on the type of healing you are wishing for on that center. This is because, the colors on the heart center are green and rose.
For the throat chakra you can use a turquoise, a sodalite, or blue lace agathe.
Third eye, blue kyanite, amethyst, clear quartz, or ametrine.
Crown chakra, same, amethyst, clear quartz or ametrine.
Actually, a clear quartz can be used in any of the chakras.
Always remember to clean your stones, first of all, clean with running cold water, or smudging, or soaking for a few hours with water and sea salt. Some stones can fade with the salt, so they shouldn't be left for too long. Turquoise is one of them. Selenite can't be soaked in salt. 


Besides the stones mentioned above, there are of course, a wide variety of them. Here are a few beautiful ones.

Amethyst

Selenite

Clear quartz

Blue Kyanite

Ametrine

Jasper

Citrine

Turquoise

Raw garnets

Polished garnet

Aqua Aura quartz

A MOMENT IN TIME

MAGIC

The great Wizard and his apprentice were walking through the dark forest on this beautiful misty morning, sometime during the 5th century.

   Arthwys, the wizard, was naturally, an old bearded man who wore a cloak of the moonlight color. His eyes were clear blue, and his voice was soft but firm. He had a long necklace with the symbol of the Sun, the moon and the stars, and he held a walking stick covered with dazzling shiny stones of all colors.

   Aidrian, his apprentice, who was a young boy still in his teen years, asked the wizard: "Wizard, how do you define magic?"

   The Wizard replied: "Magic...is not only that power which you are now searching to develop, Aidrian, Magic is also perceived all around you. When you look at these beautiful and powerful trees, you come to think that they were only a small seed long time ago, and from that, these whole forests sprouted! It's magic, isn't? he looked at Aidrian smiling.

   "Then, at night you stare at the myriad, sprinkling stars and what do you see? Can you even imagine the space beyond and beyond the moon? It's magic!"

   "Wow! I really never thought about that!" said Aidrian.

   "No, people don't realize. Everything around you is really magical, and it's the gift of life, the Power that is unseen, the Power from the Creator!"

   "Yes, and it's beautiful!" replied Aidrian in amazement with the Wizard's thoughts.

   "And people live their lives with such narrow vision and mind, that they can't see beyond that. Look around you, Aidrian, there is silence and peace in this dark forest, and there is Magic also. But very far from here and during a different time, too many people will be living totally unaware of the whole Magic of the Universe. They will be living far from our knowledge, and very few will keep the true Magic to perceive that they will be surrounded by it."

(Excerpt from "A Moment in Time", a short story book by C.Crow)