It's almost Spring Equinox. It's green time.

As we move towards Spring Equinox, I feel the green energy coming in.

For me the calendar year begins with white and space - leafless trees, white skies, frost on the grass, snow (sometimes!) and snowdrops - and the very first stirrings of life as Bridie awakes from her slumbers. It then moves to yellow as the energy of hope and promise grows and the banks are adorned with the joy of daffodils. I wrote about this is my last blogpost, and I’m delighted to say that my home is still filled with daffodils wherever I look.

The Lilac buds outside my door are now full and bursting. The Oak tips are shimmering, the pussy Willows are opening, the birds are busy and very loud at dawn. I hear the Woodpecker when I first get out of bed. As I write this, the sun is shining and washing is drying in the breeze. We’ve had lots of days like this, but then some mornings it’s so cold and dark that it feels like we’re still in winter.

The Equinoxes are a balance point - equal day and night; equal dark and light; the point where the inner world of the winter is almost gone and the outer world of the summer calls. As with all transitions, the Equinoxes can feel chaotic and stressful, and I’ve certainly heard of many, many people feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, unsettled. There’s a feeling of something happening - something coming in - but we’re not quite clear what that is or how it will manifest.

For each of us it’s a time to move forwards, beginning to act on dreams seeded at midwinter and nurtured until now. It’s a good time for green crystals that can help us to hold balance, to detoxify, to nurture on all levels, to assist connection with the world of plants spirits, to bring hope and joy.

---

Green Aventurine

Green Aventurine is a pale to deep quartzite stone with sparkly bits of Mica. It is a quiet, reserved stone that is often overlooked.

Green Aventurine is about balance; it can lessen overactive conditions and increase depleted or depressed conditions, whether physical, emotional or mental. Because of the colour, it has traditionally been associated with the Heart Chakra, and is excellent for calming anger and soothing a wounded heart, but it is also a good all round healer on physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels for people of all ages. It is very gently supporting and brings peace and comfort.

Green Aventurine brings the energy of early spring – new buds unfurling and daffodils! It is an excellent ally for all new beginnings – new homes, new relationships, new projects, new jobs, etc. It has an youthful quality, and is often attractive to children. For those who feel inclined, Green Aventurine can assist in connecting with the faery beings.

You can buy Green Aventurine here.

---

Bloodstone

Bloodstone is a Jasper or opaque Chalcedony. Chalcedony is a kind of Quartz that forms in lumps or chunks - never as a single crystal or crystal cluster. Bloodstone is mainly deep green with red, and sometimes yellow, flecks. It has also been called Heliotrope.

Bloodstone is excellent for this time of year, since it is a wonderful stone for detoxing. Along with picking the new shoots of nettles to make soup and tea, carry or wear Bloodstone to cleanse and nourish. Bloodstone grounds energy, but not in a heavy way. It brings support and stability and increases energy and vitality. If you are ill or feeling low following illness and need a boost, bloodstone can give steady, reliable support.

You can buy Bloodstone here.

---

Moss Agate

Moss Agate and Tree Agate are beautiful forms of quartz chalcedony that have tree or fern like inclusions or dendrites which give the names.

The base of Tree Agate is white Quartz; the base of Moss Agate is clear Quartz, but there is often some overlap, with some stones having areas of both white and clear. The dendrites are mainly green and created by the inclusion of various metals. There is no organic matter in the stone.

Both varieties bring a wonderful healing energy, which is quite slow and gentle, but deep acting. They combine spirituality with the natural physical world, connecting and balancing above and below, an also left and right, within our being. They remind us that we are Nature herself – Life expressing herself through each and every one of us – and can thus support us to remember our true spiritual Beingness. In doing so, and thus understanding our place in the world, we can step away from ego, become more grounded in our lives and more healthy on all levels, with stronger immune systems and better relationships with ourselves and others. I absolutely love this stone, and fully appreciate her beauty and magic.

Through the doctrine of signatures, these stones have been considered to help with nervous system disorders. They have also been used for healing plants and supporting gardening.

You can buy Moss Agate here.

---

Jade

Jade has been valued for healing since ancient times. It is deeply calming, helping us to find our still centre in times of stress, overwhelm or negative influences. It is also strongly protective.

Jade promotes wisdom and peace, and helps us to reconnect with the Whole of which we are a part, so that we can be filled with love, gratitude and appreciation for the beauty of Creation.

On a physical level, it has an affinity with the kidneys and bladder.

You can buy Jade here.

---

Serpentine

Serpentine connects us with the ancient wisdom of the Earth, reminds us that we are not separate but part of Earth, and that matter and spirit are One.

It is both grounding and energising - deeply and profoundly healing on all levels. It works well to ground high frequency crystal energy.

You can buy Serpentine here.

---

Bowenite/New Jade

Bowenite or New Jade is a kind of Serpentine that is cleansing, detoxifying and deeply calming. It has the profound spiritual depth of Jade, but it also has a lightness and sweetness that makes it easy to be with.

If you spend a lot of time at a desk or in an 'unnatural' environment, New Jade brings a breath of fresh air and a lovely, calm energy.

You can buy Bowenite/New Jade here.

---

Green and Pistachio Calcite

Calcite is a common mineral, found in many environments worldwide. Calcite is the main mineral that makes stalagmites and stalactites. It is found in a wonderful range of colours including orange, green, blue, aqua, honey, rosey red and occasionally black.

Although Calcite works at deep and profound levels, it ‘comes in gently’ and can be easier to work with than some other minerals. For this reason I often recommend it for children.

Green Calcite is clearing, cooling, releasing and refreshing - particularly on an emotional level. For those who hold emotion in the digestive system, Green Calcite is a wonderful choice to soothe a stressed tummy.

Pistachio Calcite is a relatively new discovery. It is a beautiful pale blue/green with a wonderful, uplifting, high frequency energy that clears the heart of old, stuck emotion, making way for new experiences.

Calcite is a soft mineral, and is seldom made into jewellery. It is easily scratched by other crystals and coins in purses and pockets, so you need to treat it with care. It is good to incorporate in a charm for a child's bedroom.

You can buy Green and Pistachio Calcite here.

---

Green Opal

Green Opal is an opaque opal that varies in colour from extremely pale through rich, lush green to quite dark green.

It brings me a really lovely sense of wellbeing. It is very calming; soothing ruffled emotions and slowing and settling a busy mind. It feels a bit like the heart supporting, earth loving energy of Jade, but is lighter and not so deep. It’s a lovely stone to meditate with.

You can buy Green Opal here.

Peridot

Peridot is clearing and detoxifying, helping us to clear and release old baggage. It is a wonderful spring tonic, and is uplifting, positive, optimistic and joyful, connecting us with physical and spiritual abundance.

You can buy Peridot here.

---

I wish you a very

Happy Spring Equinox

We’ll be at the Hurlers Stone Circles at midday.

Because of restrictions, we aren’t able to plan a gathering.

If you happen to be passing the carpark at 11:45, maybe even with your drum, we’ll probably see you.

---

It's Springtime. It's yellow time. It's Citrine time.

I woke up this morning with joy rising in my heart. It wasn’t until quite some time later when I went out to feed the chickens that I saw what an absolutely beautiful day it was, but I’d definitely felt the uplift of spring as soon as I awoke.
This time of year is Citrine time for me. It’s yellow time. I tend not to choose yellow for much of the year but when I find myself choosing yellow roses and tulips instead of my usual white and pink I know the energy is shifting.

I’d been saying to Joanna that it’s time to add more Citrine to the webshop. She’s in the process of doing so, and yesterday I finally brought a huge bag of gorgeous natural Citrine tumblestones from the garage to the Crystal Barn. It’s been sitting waiting to be sorted for years! Here you can see me sorting them into sizes. Joanna’s taking photographs and Linda’s been counting and sorting spheres. We’re the happy trio who have been sending crystals to you. (We’re well spaced in a large barn with plenty of ventilation, so quite safe.)

Today I couldn’t resist making a Spring crystal grid out in the lovely sunshine. By the time I’d finished the Affiliation of Crystal Healing Organisations meeting, the sun had gone from outside the barn, so the growing area had its first ever crystal grid. I rather like the juxtaposition of beautiful crystals with the mud and dead leaves from last year and the pile of wood chippings and the pile of manure (under protective tarpaulins!). It was very beautiful but rather bright for photographs, so I made the grid a second time in a more usual spot by the barn.

Below I share my experience of Citrine.

“I manifest the light of the sun”

Citrine is a member of the quartz family. It forms single crystals and clusters, and is also found in massive form. Unlike Clear Quartz and Smoky Quartz, which often have long parallel sides, Citrine crystals tends to be more stubby.

Natural Citrine is rare and is a pale lemony colour. Most of the Citrine we will experience is Amethyst or Smoky Quartz that has been heat treated. Often people say that only Natural Citrine can be used in healing. It’s one of the places where you will find lots of crystal snobbery, and many people speak disparagingly of ‘baked Amethyst’. If this were the case, then few people would ever encounter Citrine, and it is certainly my experience that many people have benefitted from the yellow crystals that came out of Mother Earth a different colour.

The energy of Citrine is that of sunshine! For me it is not the hot sun of midday, nor of hot climates. I experience the Spirit of Citrine as similar to that of the morning sun. It is bright and warm and filled with the all the hope of a new day. When attuning to Citrine I often hear the words of the beautiful celebratory song by Eleanor Farjeon:

Mine is the sunlight!

Mine is the morning

Born of the one light

Eden saw play!

Praise with elation

Praise every morning

God's re-creation

Of the new day!

Citrine brings optimism and a fresh brightness to stale situations, clearing away stagnant energy on all levels, and making way for the new. Work with Citrine when you feel emotionally exhausted, or when you are mentally stuck and need a new vision or viewpoint, or when there is stagnation in the body and the cells or organs need a clear out and some new fresh energy. Use for sluggish digestion, to get things moving. Use when it is time for a detox – physically, mentally or emotionally. Citrine is the best crystal ally I know for seasonal affective disorder, as it brings sunshine energy in deepest winter.

Citrine can be of great help in raising confidence and self esteem, clearing away doubts that may have been implanted by insensitive people, and reminding us of our unique gifts and of who we really are.

On a spiritual level, Citine can help us to remember and reconnect with the pure essence that is Divine and to bring it into our everyday lives – becoming the vehicle for ‘God’s Creation’ as we manifest our physical reality. For this reason, Citrine has become known as a stone for prosperity, and it is often recommended that a piece be carried in the purse, or placed in the till in businesses. But Citrine will not do all the work itself – we need to carry out the physical part of the manifestation.

Citrine brings warmth, but not heat. Citrine brings energy that we can work with, but it is not pushy. I understand the energy of Citrine to be that of offering a potential that we can work with if we choose. If you are about to bring a new project to manifestation, Citrine energy can be of real assistance, perhaps combined with Green Aventurine and Gold Topaz at the seeding stage and Tiger’s Eye when strength and stamina is needed.

If you are recovering from physical illness, emotional or mental exhaustion, Citrine can help when the time is right to begin to come out into a new phase. Welcome the brightness into your life, and ask for help to move forward.

You can wear Citrine and jewellery, or carry a piece with you, in purse or pocket. Meditate with Citrine and ask for inspiration. Create a Citrine Net and lie within it, to detoxify and replace old, tired energy with bright dancing light! Place a piece on the stomach to move sluggish digestion. Place a piece on the heart to clear away sadness and replace with light, hope and optimism.

---

Crystal Grid constructed of the beautiful natural Citrine borrowed from my home altar, lots of natural Citrine tumblestones, standard Citrine crystals, tiny pieces of rough Madeira Citrine. The latter are rich orange. The name refers to the colour; they don’t come from Madeira.

Buy Citrine here

You can also find Free Factsheets about crystals here. I’m adding more little by little.

---

Ceremony of dedication

Marcus and I had planned to take a week away from home - a holiday week with no agenda.

While buying crystals, I came across a rather special Quartz, and after some deliberation - because it was rather expensive - I decided that I needed to buy it. Although it is very beautiful, it didn’t feel that it was a personal acquisition. It sat in my kitchen for a day or so until Joanna said that she wondered if it was something to do with the sacred work with the planets and earth grids - the piece of work that Marcus had started to write about. He said it was about grounding the energies of the Jupiter - Saturn conjunction at the winter solstice.

The crystal sat in my kitchen until one day it shouted at me, “Well are you just going to leave me here then?” It was much happier outside.

Marcus realised that during the week we were planning to be away, Saturn was going to turn direct on the 29th September and Pluto on the 4th October, and that it would be good if we could take the crystal to the Michael-Mary line crossing at Avebury to introduce the crystal to the work. In some ways, this was a dedication, but I hesitate to use the term crystal dedication since it implies a human choice for the crystal. This crystal already knew its purpose. It was up to us to realise and support it.

We didn’t have much time to make a plan and, since we were not planning to shoot grouse, we were limited to a gathering of 6 people. So we decided to call our dear friend Sheila and go ahead with the three of us - and anyone else who happened to be there.

On the way up the M5 there was a terrible accident and we sat in a traffic jam for 5 hours. During this time, Sue had a look at the book Marcus had brought along - The Spine of Albion by Gary Biltcliffe and Caroline Hoare. In it she read about the statue of Belinus in Bristol, so we decided to go in search.

It was such a beautiful day that we decided to sit in the sun and drink coffee at one of the many cafes. We chose one that didn’t have a loo, and we were directed to one in a market nearby. I got a bit lost, but in doing so came across a stall with a glass case with Mexican Day of the Dead skulls. I’ve often wished that I’d brought home some of these from Mexico, so I bought two. As the man wrapped them, I had a feeling that they might be part of the ceremony.

We drove to Avebury and met Sheila with her beautiful drum and set up at the crossing point of the Michael-Mary currents between the two big stones in the south quadrant. I placed the crystal and Seren took up a guard position. As I placed the skulls, Marcus said that they were to bring in the energy of the Plumed Serpent that passes through Mexico. This is the male counterpart to the Rainbow Serpent that we know as the Michael-Mary line as it passes through England. You can read a bit about the Rainbow and Plumed Serpents here.

We focussed on our brow centres (Jupiter) and root centres (Saturn) along with the tip of the crystal and the base as it sat on the Earth. I played the Koshi Chimes of the 4 elements, Marcus played the Horse Drum, Sheila played her beautiful mother drum and Seren guarded the ceremony.

It was beautiful and amazingly powerful - much more than any of us had expected. We had thought it would be a gentle preparation!

As far as we are aware at present, the next ceremony will be for the Jupiter-Pluto conjunction in November. We’ll keep you posted.