Bring Sparkle into Winter

As we move towards the darkest time of the year, I thought I’d share a bit of lightness and sparkle. I hope you enjoy these lovely, high frequency crystals

Selenite - clearing, purifying, awakening

Selenite is a clear or pearly form of gypsum that is named for the moon goddess, Selene.

It is very soft and can be scratched by a fingernail, so you need to take care of it and treat it gently. It is water soluble, so water cleansing methods are not suitable, but you need not worry that it will dissolve immediately. You can use smudge, but I think it really likes cleansing with pure sound, such as a singing bowl or tuning fork.

More common than the pure crystal form of Selenite is Satin Spar – a white fibrous mineral that is plentiful, inexpensive and therefore very accessible. Because of the soft nature of this stone, it is easily carved and polished into many shapes.

Selenite is truly a stone for now, as it helps us to connect with the highest frequency of pure light energy.

In my experience, Selenite seldom needs cleansing. If it gets dusty, clean with a soft paintbrush and cleanse with smudge, sound, prayer.

Read more about Selenite, including how to use it to keep your energy field clean and bright.

Buy Selenite here

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Apophylite - clearing, uplifting, joyous

Apophylite forms clear crystals that people often mistake for Quartz. Looking closely, however, you can see that Apophylite crystals form four sided pyramids - unlike six sided Quartz crystals - and they have a different, mirror-like sheen.

Apophylite has a very high frequency energy - helping us to connect with Spirit and Angels. It is powerfully clearing and cleansing - even a tiny crystal pyramid affects a large area. I find it very uplifting, happy, joyous. It helps us to rise up above the heaviness of life and reconnect with the beauty and magic.

At this time, when so much greed, selfishness and ugliness is being revealed, Apophylite can give us a break. I’m not proposing denial or spiritual bypassing - but it’s good to take time to step out of the chaos and into joy.

Bring a cluster or Apophylite into any space to cut through dark energy and bring light. Place a pyramid on your higher heart to bring joy.

You can wash Apophylite, but do it carefully.

Buy Apophylite here:
https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/apophylite

Apophylite is also available in our Facebook Online Sale on Friday 11th December

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Celestite - expansive, higher perspective, freedom

Celestite is named for its beautiful, heavenly or celestial blue colour. It is associated with heaven energy and angels.

I find that Celestite is extremely clearing, particularly on the mental level, and is very expansive, enabling us to see beyond fixed ideas, beyond the ordinary and the obvious. It calms mental chatter, soothes frazzled nerves and is a wonderful ally when we feel overwhelmed by demands or the craziness of our world. From a more peaceful place we can think, and express ourselves, more clearly.

Celestite truly connects us with divinity, and reminds us that we are divine too – not separate, or needing to find ways to connect or understand. We just are . . . Divine. Divinity expresses itself through each and every one of us.

Work with Celestite to help you to step back, when the world seems mad, and see things from a higher perspective.

You need to be careful with Celestite. It is very brittle and breaks quite easily. Clean with a soft paintbrush and cleanse with smudge, sound or prayer. Avoid direct light as the beautiful colour fades easily.

Buy Celestite here
https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/celestite

Celestite is also available in our Facebook Online Sale on Friday 11th December

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Angelite - grounded spirit connection

Angelite is a beautiful pale blue mineral that brings calm and peaceful acceptance. As the name suggests, it can help communication with the angelic realms and other spirit guides, but it does so in a very matter-of-fact way. It’s the most grounding of the ‘angelic stones’ so can be good for those who have a tendency to float away.

Angelite is a soft stone and needs to be treated with care. Please cleanse using a non-water method.

Buy Angelite here

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Sparkly Agate - grounding light, happy

Agate is a kind of Quartz that has a stable energy that works steadily and slowly bringing gentle grounding, support and balance. Agate comes in many colours, including beautiful Blue Lace Agate and Orange Agate or Carnelian.

These pieces are subtle with shades of cream, grey and brown. They have been cleverly cut and polished to display the areas that have visible crystals. I bought these pieces a while ago but decided to save them for this time of year. They bring beauty, happiness and joy.

Agate is happy to have a wash. Like all Quartz, it likes water and enjoys a bath or shower.

Sparkly Agate is also available in our Facebook Online Sale on Friday 11th December

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Spirit Quartz - uplifting, transformative, optimistic, magical

Spirit Quartz was originally known as Cactus Quartz or Porcupine Quartz, terms which describe the appearance of these beautiful crystals, where many tiny, druzy crystals cover the body of the main, or mother crystal.  Other names also used for these crystals are Angel Quartz and Fairy Quartz.  Spirit Quartz is usually pale amethyst, but dark amethyst, clear quartz, citrine and smokey quartz is also, though infrequently, found.

All Spirit Quartz comes from the Magaliesberg area of South Africa, an area which has been extensively mined for gold and platinum.

Many ‘new age’ sources claim that Spirit Quartz is newly discovered in this century, but there are references to these crystals from the 1980’s.

My personal experience of Spirit Quartz is that it has a very light, high-frequency energy, sparkly, fairy-like, magical quality and is helpful in meditation, shamanic journeying and dreaming. 

It is very uplifting and transforms negative energies into positive.  Although it has a particular affinity with the crown chakra, it can help to clear, balance and harmonise all chakras.

It can help one to remain positive, optimistic and hopeful, and aid in seeing possibilities and potentials in difficult circumstances.

There are references to using Spirit Quartz for skin problems and allergies, but I do not have personal experience of this.

Where Spirit Quartz is Amethyst, Clear Quartz, Citrine or Smoky Quartz, the specific energies of Spirit Quartz will be combined with the frequencies of Amethyst, Clear Quartz, Citrine or Smoky Quartz.

Buy Spirit Quartz here:
https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/spirit-quartz

Spirit Quartz is also available in our Facebook Online Sale on Friday 11th December

7 Crystals to relieve stress and anxiety (plus a few from earlier)

It has been suggested that now might be the perfect time to write about crystals to relieve stress and anxiety - so here goes!

I’m going to start with fear. Fear has a very important purpose - that of self-preservation. The feeling of fear warns us of impending danger and is crucial to our survival. When faced with danger your body responds - your heart rate and breathing increase, you experience a surge of adrenaline and the experience of fear as you run, attack or freeze. With time, physiological and emotional responses can return to normal.

Some people, for all sorts of reasons, become excessively fearful and there are several crystals that can help with this. My favourite crystal to release excessive fear is Aquamarine. I wrote about Aquamarine in an earlier blogpost: https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/blog/2020/5/4/bloodstone-smoky-quartz-and-aquamarine

Buy Aquamarine here: https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/aquamarine

Anxiety happens when you have a fear response to situations that aren’t actually happening in that moment. You may be fearful about something in the future, something that may happen or even about something that is very unlikely to happen.

We become stressed when we do not have sufficient opportunity to for our natural stress responses to return to baseline or when the sheer amount of stressful experiences exceed our ability to cope. This fatigues body systems and can cause many physical and behavioural problems. Even the most balanced individuals can become stressed if exposed to too much over a period of time.

At this time in the life of Planet Earth, we are all experiencing a degree of stress as the current systems of organization break down - and break down they must in order for new ways to birth that will enable human life to continue.

So how can crystals help us? Well, first of all we need to be grounded, stable and present in each moment. I’ve already written about grounding crystals here:
Hematite, Black Tourmaline, Obsidian
https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/blog/2020/5/2/how-can-i-help-in-these-strange-times
Bloodstone and Smoky Quartz
https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/blog/2020/5/4/bloodstone-smoky-quartz-and-aquamarine
Shungite
https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/blog/2020/5/13/shungite

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Now for some other crystals that can help

Lepidolite - dispelling worry, relieving anxiety and depression

Lepidolite is a lithium bearing mica that ranges from rose pink to lavender, lilac and purple.
It is a peaceful stone, dispelling worries and bringing calmness and serenity.  It soothes ruffled emotions and has been used for stress, anxiety and depression. It is a perfect ally when you are feeling ‘frazzled’.

Lepidolite is a good stone for meditation and spiritual awareness, and for helping to bring a higher perspective to challenging situations.

I’ve given Lepidolite to many, many people over the years and had excellent feedback from children and adults. It’s one of the gentle stones in my Baby & Child Sleep Bundle.

Buy Lepidolite here: https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/lepidolite-1

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Howlite - bringing a gentle, calm presence

Howlite is, in my opinion, one of the very overlooked stones and I really appreciate the gentle, calm presence.. It is relatively inexpensive and so is readily available. In its natural state it is white with grey markings. It is very porous and it is often dyed rather lurid colours. Blue dyed Howlite is frequently sold as Turquoise.

Howlite is a beautifully calming stone that is often overlooked and undervalued. It settles fraught emotions and frazzled minds, enabling us to listen to the wisdom of our higher selves. Unusually for a white stone, it is also quite grounding and stabilising, though never heavy.

Buy Howlite here: https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/howlite

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Blue Lace Agate/Blue Chalcedony - cooling and soothing

Blue Lace Agate is a heavenly pale blue banded chalcedony. It cools and soothes the physical body, calms emotions, frees us from limiting thoughts and beliefs and helps us to connect with our higher self.

It can be very helpful where there is pain caused by inflammation. It has been found to lower temperatures in infectious illness, and can be really useful during the feverishness of childhood illness, due to its gentle nature.

The spirit of Blue Lace Agate is a vast blue sky with small puffy white clouds. It helps us to step away from the fears, anxieties and worries of daily life and find peace and tranquility. It can help us move beyond limited perceptions and limiting thoughts and beliefs, to remember who we truly are – vast, limitless beings. It can also encourage us to express this truth, and bring our gifts to the world, especially for shy or sensitive souls who may hold back for fear of being misunderstood, judged of ridiculed.

Buy Blue Lace Agate and Blue Chalcedony here: https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/blue-lace-agate-chalcedony

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Sodalite - deeply relaxing, reducing panic

Sodalite is a beautiful deep blue. It is has a strong wisdom and is deeply calming and relaxing, even slightly sedative. It can be helpful for panic attacks.

An Air element stone, it can calm a busy mind, align mind and heart, balance the logical with the spiritual and help us to step back from complicated or overwhelming situations in order to gain a clearer perspective. It has a strong affinity with the Brow Chakra and assists in seeing beyond the ordinary and obvious and journeying to other realms.

Buy Sodalite here: https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/sodalite

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Dumortierite - aids sleep, trust in your own knowing

Dumortierite is denim blue. It has a comforting, grounded energy and is my personal favourite to bring a good night’s sleep – both falling asleep and staying asleep. You’ll find it in my Sleep Aid Bundle.

It encourages self-belief, helping to bring confidence in trusting one’s own perceptions and viewpoints, and this in turn releases stress and confusion. This can be very helpful at present when we are overwhelmed by lies masquerading as truth.

Buy Dumortierite here: https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/dumortierite

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New Jade - peaceful, brings a sense of wellbeing

I am totally in love with New Jade. It is a kind of Serpentine and it 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.

Buy New Jade here: https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/bowenite-new-jade

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Prehnite - my ‘no worries’ stone

Prehnite is a beautiful translucent green stone – most often a yellow-green, but I’ve also seen a beautiful minty green.

I call it the ‘no worries’ stone. It is wonderful for calming things down when the environment is chaotic. It brings a sense of release, expansion, protection and peace, reminding us that we are part of nature, natural cycles and natural law.

If you feel overwhelmed by life, especially by too much physical ‘stuff’, and yearn for simplicity and peace, Prehnite might help you to let go of those things you don’t need. (Bring in Garnet to give you the energy boost to start decluttering!)

It can really help sensitive people, including children who find everything too much to handle, and thus might become agitated or ‘hyperactive’.

Sometimes Epidote is found within Prehnite. Epidote is wonderfully clearing of all negativity and also attracts positive energy and abundance making Prehnite with Epidote is a wonderful anti-stress stone.

Buy Prehnite here: https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/prehnite

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So there we have 8 crystals to help with anxiety and stress - each in a slightly different way and with other unique properties. Each crystal will work in a slightly different way with each individual, since the effect is an interaction of crystal energy and human energy.

I’ve also mentioned Aquamarine and a variety of grounding crystals that I’ve already written about in previous blogposts.

In addition, if you are feeling anxious, stressed and overwhelmed, a good smudging often helps. You can read about this here: https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/blog/2019/2/11/awakening-energy-amp-spring-cleaning

Buy smudging herbs and accessories here:
https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/accessories-smudging-herbs

Stay well as we negotiate these crazy times!

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Samhain - endings and beginnings

As we move towards the end of October it’s clear that the active time of year has truly passed. Seeds and projects were sown, tended as they grew, then gathered in. Since the harvest we’ve had time to evaluate outcomes, rejoice and express gratitude for successes and hold the intent to sow dreamseeds of new and better ways for future times.

The end of October brings Samhain or hallowe’en. Samhain (pronounced Sowen) is one of the ancient festivals that honour and celebrate the turning of the Wheel of the Year. In the old ways, it is the beginning of the year - a time to move into the darkness, where we rest and dream the next phase in the cycle before bringing it to birth in spring.

It’s a magical time when the veils between the worlds are thin and we honour our ancestors, including those who have passed over in last year. Darkness holds the power of the ancient Grandmother Void - the Womb of Creation - the absolute zero that holds all potentials within. Between Samhain and Winter Solstice, as the seeds lie deep in the soil, we move into the dark time where we can rest, release and reflect on what has gone before and dream the ideas that will become manifest as the wheel turns.

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Obsidian - going within, the Void, addressing deep issues, scrying

Obsidian is natural volcanic glass. Black Obsidian has a very powerful energy which has a natural affinity with the Navel, Base and Earth Star Chakras. It connects us to Mother Earth and to the Fire at her core. It is deep, passionate, sensual and intense.

Obsidian takes us deep inside, to hidden places, and reveals that which needs to be released and that which needs to be owned and integrated. The deep, dark, velvet blackness can be a fearful place, if the Shadow has not been addressed; alternatively it can be a healing place of peace, rest and recuperation.

Obsidian is a wonderful shamanic tool, and Obsidian Mirrors have been used for millennia. We’ve recently received a delivery of three types of beautiful mirrors which we are absolutely delighted with.

I have heard people describe Obsidian as a masculine energy, but for me it is a wonderful tool for connecting to the Cosmic Void/Great Womb of Creation that is simultaneously absolute zero or no-thingness and all potentials. In much ‘new age’ teaching, the focus is often on the light and darkness is very misunderstood, but we were all conceived and nurtured in the dark of the womb and pure darkness is a place of sacred feminine power.

Obsidian is often described as grounding and protecting; and it is very useful in these ways when doing spiritual work and/or working shamanically.

You can buy Obsidian here.

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Labradorite - mystery and magic, psychic perception, linking your heart with God/dess

Labradorite is a feldspar that, at first, appears to be grey and non-descript.  However, as it is turned, it displays flashes of  the most beautiful colours – peacock blue, green, pink, gold.  This gives it a magical quality, which provides a clue its nature.

Labradorite connects us directly to Source – to the Great Mystery that is at the heart of Creation. This Mystery remains beyond understanding – however much we try to understand it, explain it, contain it, quantify it.

It shows us, if we are willing and able to look, that although we are embodied on Earth, we are of the Stars and of God. How we choose to express the Divine in our lifetime here on Earth is entirely up to us.

When meditating with Labradorite, I am first aware of my Earth Star Chakra, my rootedness here on Mother Earth. Next I soar upwards, higher and higher, until I come to a place that is beyond my knowing – and still my consciousness soars upwards. Then I become aware of my heart at the centre of my Being, and understand that being in my heart, I link Heaven and Earth.

Some sources suggest that Labradorite can be used for specific physical problems, but I do not understand that Labradorite is to be used in this way.

Labradorite teaches about the mystery and magic of Creation – the mystery of creation, and the magic of how we manifest that on the physical level.  If you want to celebrate that magic, work with Labradorite.  If you have lost your way and feel disconnected from the magic of Life, work with Labradorite.

Hold a piece while meditating; put a piece under your pillow and ask for dreams that will guide you; wear it to celebrate Life on Mother Earth, or, if you feel lost, to help you to remember that you are a child of God, presently having a physical experience on our beautiful Mother Earth.

Labradorite awakens psychic perception and opening us to greater understanding and wisdom. It connects the Heart with Goddess/God.

You can buy Labradorite here

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Lapis Lazuli - psychic perception, inner wisdom, past life memory

Lapis Lazuli is a rock comprised of the minerals lazurite (deep, rich blue) calcite (white) and pyrite (gold flecks). It is renowned as a ‘spiritual stone’, with a long association with wisdom and truth, and is considered by many to be useful for psychic protection.

Lapis has a strong affinity with the brow chakra/third eye. It is calming to the everyday mind and can help to bring a sense of clear perspective. There are many qualities of physical healing attributed to Lapis Lazuli, but to me, the main gift and power of lapis Lazuli is to take us deep within to access our own wisdom and truth. In my experience, it is one of the main stones to access past life memories.

I do, however, often use it for blocked sinuses. Three pieces on brow and cheeks can work wonders!

You can buy Lapis Lazuli here.

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Girasol or Moon Quartz - feminine, mysterious, dreamy

Moon/Girasol Quartz has a truly beautiful opalescent quality. It is not Clear Quartz, nor Milky Quartz, nor White or Snow Quartz. It looks like a white version of the best quality gemmy Rose Quartz, and like Rose Quartz sometimes shows asterism/the star effect.

This Quartz has also been called Moon Quartz, Moon Opal, Pearl Quartz, and Blue Opal Quartz. (To be clear - it is not an Opal.)

Moon Quartz is both gentle and powerful, with a subtle, quiet strength. It is very feminine and connects with Moon energy and cycles of creativity. It aids intuition and deep knowing and is a great dreaming stone.

I’ve chosen Moon Quartz for Samhain for the mysterious, dreamy quality.

You can buy Moon Quartz here.

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Tourmaline - grounding, aligning, protective

In my experience, Black Tourmaline is the most effective crystal for protection. It is powerfully grounding and centering, and can help us to deal with the impact of external influences.

On a physical level, it aligns the spine and skeleton. Emotionally and mentally it helps us to stay centred in the midst of chaos. It brings us fully into our physical bodies, aligning spirit fully with the physical, so that we can be responsible for how we deal with external influences, rather than blaming others.

Black Tourmaline can also help to ground your own negative emotions and thoughtforms, so it is ideal to use if you are angry, anxious, or feeling low due to internal criticism.

If you find Black Tourmaline a bit too heavy, Tourmalinated Quartz - Quartz with crystals of Tourmaline within - is lighter and easier to assimilate for some. It is very centering but less grounding.

You can buy Tourmaline here.

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Enjoy the mystery and magic of Samhain

Crystal Blessings from Sue xxx

5 Crystals for Autumn

The days are definitely shorter. Thankfully the chickens are now going to bed at a more respectable time. The trees are still very green for the time of year, but the Horse Chestnuts and Virginia Creeper are wearing their stunning orange and red dresses. I’ve never seen so many acorns! Our ceremony circle is beneath Oaks and the ground is crunchy with them. It’s like walking on marbles and the squirrels shout at me when I go up there.

As we begin to light fires in our hearths and snuggle up, I thought I’d share some warming, nurturing crystals with you.

Carnelian - warming, energising, joyful, positive, encourages creativity

Carnelian is a variety of quartz, sometimes called Orange Agate, which ranges from pale peachy orange to deep brown-orange.

Paler Carnelian is gentler; the really bright orange is uplifting and joyful; the darker, richer orange/brown is deep and earthy.

Carnelian carries the combined energies of Earth and Fire, and is warming and energising. It is active and helps to get things done. It enhances creativity on all levels, and has a particular affinity with the sacral chakra.

It can help us to connect with ancestral wisdom held deep within Mother Earth. It supports women to be strong, creative, confident, and in touch with their true feminine power, and helps men to know and understand the deep ancient wisdom of the Divine Feminine within themselves, the women around them, and the Earth.

You can purchase Carnelian here (on Friday evening) and here (any time)

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Flower Agate - gentle, feminine, nurturing, healing trauma, courage

Flower Agate, also known as Cherry Blossom and Sakura/Sekura Stone, is a relatively new discovery from Madagascar. It isn’t truly an agate but a pinkish/apricot translucent chalcedony with more opaque white ‘flowers’.

This stone is truly beautiful, often with deeper pink, gold or even greenish areas, and some tiny ‘caves’ with druzy quartz. I love it!

It has a beautiful soft, feminine energy and is calming, reassuring and very nurturing. It teaches us of the strength of gentleness and is a powerful healer of stuck emotion and trauma.  Flower Agate can help dissolve old beliefs that limit us, so that we can remember the truth of who we are. With love and compassion for ourselves, we can find courage to allow and enable that to grow. In this way we can stand in our own unique power and shine our gifts into the world.

You can purchase Flower Agate here (on Friday evening) and here (any time)

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Petrified/Fossil Wood - gently grounding, gathering in, ancient wisdom

Petrified wood is wood that has become stone. Ancient wood became buried beneath volcanic ash or sediment, and was preserved because no oxygen was available to break down or decompose the wood. Mineral rich water gradually deposited the minerals in the organic cells, and eventually replaced them, keeping the original shape and structure of the tree.

Energetically it is gently grounding. It holds the energy frequency of the original blueprint of evolution, and reminds us that, as humans, we are an intrinsic part of the beauty and harmony of nature and can always choose to return to the pattern of perfection. It is perfect for connecting with our close, and distant, ancestors.

You can buy Petrified Wood here (on Friday) and here (anytime)

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Polychrome Jasper - earth and fire - rootedness and creativity

Polychrome Jasper comes from Madagascar. It is a relatively recent find. It was discovered when searching for Orbicular or Ocean Jasper. Both are very decorative, and are used in this way.

Like all Jaspers, Polychrome is stable, grounding and long-acting. It helps us to connect with Mother Earth at a deep level – not the soil and plants close to the surface, but the deep rooted rocky depths. As well as embodying the Earth element, Polychrome also has Fire and it brings energy, vitality and a passion for creativity.

 It has a lovely texture and feels much smoother than most Jaspers/Agates. It is very silky and sensuous to hold and stroke.

 It is a good gift for those who ‘don’t do crystals’ because it is visually very attractive and interesting.

You can buy Polychrome Jasper here (on Friday) and here (any time)

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Aragonite - being yourself, finding your centre in the midst of chaos

The name Aragonite is derived from The Aragon River in Spain, which is where the first crystals were found. This type are brown clusters which are sometimes called Aragonite Sputniks or Flowers of Iron (Iron creating the colour).

Aragonite, like the better-known calcite, is a calcium carbonate mineral but it’s crystals have a different structure. It comes in a variety of colours, including white, pink, yellow, orange, red and brown.

It has a lovely, soft energy that is gently grounding and centring, and a perfect ally for being in the present moment. They help us to release turbulent emotion and to stay calm and settled when people or situations around us are challenging or chaotic, so that we neither react from emotion, nor lose ourselves in a different story.

As well as Aragonite ‘Sputniks’, it can be found in masses with cream and brown stripes. This is very centering and nurturing.

Aragonite is also the mineral that creates Pearl, Abalone and Mother of Pearl.

You can purchase Aragonite here (on Friday evening) and here (any time)

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Stay warm and cosy this autumn

Crystal Blessings from Sue xxx

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.

Moving into Autumn - a crystal for now

Last night I lit the woodburner and this morning I put the heating on. For a week or so, the scent of Autumn has drifted in on the breeze. Mornings have been Autumn and a woolly cardigan. By eleven it’s been time for a change of attire to a cotton cardigan. Some days have been gloriously sunny and bare arms have held onto the last gifts of summer, until 4 when the woolly cardigan has been needed again. We’ve still managed most lunches outside, and as many suppers as possible - admittedly some with a bit of English determination - it isn’t actually raining! I no longer have to wait for the chickens to go to bed before I do. They are now settled on their perches by a respectable 8pm.

With the energy drawing into Earth, different crystals call - those that are gently grounding; those that are warming and nurturing - and over the next period of time I’m going to share some crystals that are calling me right now.

This week I’ve been drawn to Aragonite. I’ve written about it before this year, but now it really comes into its own. I have two types of Aragonite in stock in the webshop.

Shop Banded Aragonite

Banded Aragonite has stripes of brown and cream. It has a lovely, soft energy that is gently grounding and centring, and a perfect ally for being in the present moment. It helps us to release turbulent emotion and to stay calm and settled when people or situations around us are challenging or chaotic, so that we neither react from emotion, nor lose ourselves in a different story.

Banded Aragonite hearts

Aragonite, like the better-known calcite, is a calcium carbonate mineral but it’s crystals have a different structure. It comes in a variety of colours, including white, pink, yellow, orange, red and brown.

Banded Aragonite Tumblestones

The name is derived from The Aragon River in Spain, which is where the first crystals were found. This type are brown clusters which are sometimes called Aragonite ‘Sputniks’ or Flowers of Iron (Iron creating the colour).

These clusters orange/brown crystals form many interesting shapes. They are named for the Russian satellite Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite launched in 1957.

Aragonite Sputniks

Aragonite Sputniks share the gently grounding and centering qualities of banded Aragonite but they are also warming, opening and energising. Hold if you feel chilly, especially where circulation is poor and hands and feet get really cold. Work with Aragonite if you feel disconnected and forget that you are at one with your community and Mother Earth. Feel your Earth Star - the chakra beneath your feet - relax and allow your heart, mind and spirit to soften and open .

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Crystals to come soon - Petrified/Fossil Wood and Carnelian

Black Chalcedony Womb Stones

These amazing Chalcedony nodules were completely new to me a couple of weeks ago. I’d never seen them before. Apparently they are a relatively new discovery from Morocco. I bought them in a bag labelled Mochi Marbles. They aren’t! They are the same shape but are Quartz, not iron oxide concretions.

They are available here

I’ve just been doing a bit of research and have now seen them called Black Chalcedony, Botroidal Chocolate Chalcedony, Chalcedony Womb Stones, Truffle Chalcedony.

I like these stones. They feel very ‘light’ for a dark stone and I feel them at the crown as well as the root and earth star chakras. They have a very gentle grounding quality and are also very calming, comforting and nurturing. They help us to feel settled in our bodies and environment. At the same time they open the crown to receive spiritual/heaven energy and help it to ground.

I’ve read that they are good for fertility, but I don’t know them well enough yet to know if this is true.

I’m interested to see whether they start to be sold in pairs and described as male and female, as happened with Mochi/Moqui Marbles or Shaman Stones.

A new school/college year and Fluorite

There’s a definite scent of Autumn in the mornings and it’s time for a new school and college year. One crystal that is really helpful for focus, concentration and study is Fluorite.

Fluorite occurs in many colours including purple, lavender, green, blue, gold/yellow, pink, white, brown and black. Some Fluorite shows beautiful bands of colour and is called Rainbow Fluorite.

My Focus Aura Spray contains five different Fluorite Crystal Essences.

All my sprays are made from my own recipe, carefully and meticulously developed over many years. I use excellent quality essential oils (organic and/or wildcrafted wherever possible) with my own crystal essences that have been created at my home over the past 25 years in the sacred ceremony circle beneath old oak trees. Every single bottle is made by me personally. An afternoon of Aura Spray making is a truly alchemical experience with every bottle being created with love and pure intent in small batches.

I usually work around the Full Moon or with significant astrological events. The bottles then sit for a while, often beneath my copper pyramid or in a crystal grid, until they are ready. Each batch is quite unique

Use Focus Aura Spray to clear your mind and energy field. It helps to clear fuzziness and confusion; to dispel ‘brain fog’ and overwhelm; to aid focus and concentration: to bring order and structure to thoughts.

Buy Focus spray here

Fluorite is expansive, creating space between thoughts, beliefs, opinions, attitudes, energies of all kinds. It then clears, transforms and transmutes anything that is ‘negative’ and brings structure and order to what remains.

In this way it calms and settles the mind and is good for meditation, spiritual growth and increased psychic awareness.  It cleanses the aura and gives protection by clearing negative thought patterns and transmuting all negative energies. It can bring a little distance in times when emotions overwhelm us, so that we can see both what needs to be done and what needs to be healed.  It is also excellent for concentration and focus, and is an excellent gift for students.

Lie with a Fluorite octahedron on the forehead to clear excessive mental energy from study or when emotions are high and thoughts go round and round, making situations worse. Alternatively, place three octahedra round the head (one above; two on either side by the temples) or place three octahedra, one on the brow, one between heart and throat, one below the navel. With these placements it can be useful to have a grounding stone such as Black Tourmaline or Hematite beneath the feet or Smoky Quartz or Smoky Fluorite in the hands.

Buy Fluorite Octahedra here

In the environment, Fluorite can be used to help with electromagnetic disturbance from computers, microwaves, and other devices. I have a large cluster by my wifi router. I borrowed it for the Focus Aura Spray photograph above! You can also place a cluster by your computer screen to help with this and at the same time help with focus and concentration.

Buy Fluorite clusters here

Fluorite occurs in many colours; all fluorites share the properties already described, but each colour emphasises certain characteristics.

Smoky fluorite is particularly good for the cleansing and protective aspects, and, apart from the very rare black variety, is the most grounding of the flourites.

Golden/Yellow fluorite is inspiring and creative, opening our minds to greater possibilities that are aligned with spirit.

Green fluorite is cleansing and healing to emotions and mind, and brings these two aspects into harmony within us.

Blue Fluorite is calm, peaceful and serene. It is good for ordered thinking and prioritising goals.

Purple Fluorite is good for purification of the mind, enhancing spiritual connection and meditation.
It is an excellent transformer of energy and can transmute negative thoughts and attitudes within, as well as external negative energy in our environment.

Lavender Fluorite is peaceful and calming, and connects us with divine inspiration and bliss.

White/Clear Fluorite is clearing and cleansing for the aura and aligns us with our spiritual purpose.

Rainbow Fluorite combines all colours and is clearing, cleansing and harmonising on all levels of being, bringing order where there is chaos.  Try placing a stone on each of the chakras.

Flower Fluorite is a gentle purple, lavender and cream/white stone. It is soothing and gently supportive, and good in times of stress.

Fluorite is quite soft and if you carry it in a purse, pouch or pocket with Quartz, or other harder crystals, the surface will scratch easily so take care to keep your pieces shiny and beautiful.

Citrine, Banded Aragonite and Rhodonite

In recent weeks I’ve mainly focussed on grounding stones to help keep us grounded and centred in unusual, and for some very testing, times. I’ve written and spoken about Black Tourmaline, Black Obsidian, Hematite, Bloodstone and Smoky Quartz. I added Aquamarine to help release fear and to go with the flow.
I also wrote about Shungite.

Much to my amazement, I’ve also done some Facebook Live sessions on these crystals too!
There will be another Live Event tomorrow, Sunday 31st May, when I will discuss these three crystals.

Two of the crystals today also have grounding qualities - Banded Aragonite and Rhodonite. I’ve been drawn to Citrine a lot lately and decided to include it because we certainly need brightness, positivity, optimism, joy, courage and confidence at this time.

CITRINE

BANDED ARAGONITE

RHODONITE

Citrine

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. 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 to be 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 an excellent crystal ally 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.

On a spiritual level, Citrine 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 it’s 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.

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Banded Aragonite

This Aragonite has stripes of brown and cream. It has a lovely, soft energy that is gently grounding and centring, and a perfect ally for being in the present moment. They help us to release turbulent emotion and to stay calm and settled when people or situations around us are challenging or chaotic, so that we neither react from emotion, nor lose ourselves in a different story.

Aragonite, like the better-known calcite, is a calcium carbonate mineral but it’s crystals have a different structure. It comes in a variety of colours, including white, pink, yellow, orange, red and brown.

The name is derived from The Aragon River in Spain, which is where the first crystals were found. This type are brown clusters which are sometimes called Aragonite Sputniks or Flowers of Iron (Iron creating the colour).

Aragonite is also the mineral that creates Pearl, Abalone and Mother of Pearl.

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Rhodonite

Rhodonite is a pretty opaque pink stone that often has grey or black manganese markings.

It is strong and calm, bringing the energy of love into day to day living. It brings stability, practical support, reduces stress and helps to raise self esteem and confidence. It can help you to work towards attaining your needs whilst remaining loving and open. It can support you to bring your gifts forward in service to your community and assist you to live your Soul’s purpose.

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Crystal Blessings xxx

Loving our beautiful land

Since Mother’s Day I’ve hardly been beyond my gate. I don’t go out often anyway, so I’m used to that. I have missed seeing family, but apart from that my life has been completely blissful. Since lockdown, we’ve had the most amazing weather, and nature is thriving. Traffic is much reduced and the road by my house has never been so busy with walkers, runners and cylists.

I’m very aware that the nature of life in my little bubble is not shared by all and many have been tested in these times. I’m also aware that outside my bubble, something is happening in our sacred land that both sad and shocking. It is hard to imagine how we could have got to this - a situation in which decisions are made about our beautiful country and her citizens by con men, and that we have collectively allowed, or even chosen, this situation.

Never in my lifetime has greed and corruption been so apparent. Never have the people been treated with such utter contempt by those who are meant to be in service. Never have decisions been made to let the elderly die, en masse. The other side of my personal bliss is utter grief and horror at what we have become as a nation. Those currently in power have claimed ‘national pride’ as their own - a national pride of arrogance, entitlement and assumed superiority. The acts of so many ‘ordinary people’ shame them - the everyday heroes going about their daily work to keep us safe, well and fed; the many volunteers in communities; all who willingly accept and endure personal privations for the greater good of all.

These wonderful qualities must eventually trump the greed and selfishness of the few. This situation must change us. What we value, how we organise, what we choose to believe and accept, what we allow or condone must change or inevitable future earth changes will destroy us all.

One of the many wonderful things that is emerging from the current situation is to see how many people are growing food, fixing and mending, cooking nutritious meals from scratch and re-evaluating what matters in life. I’ve seen that the media are now urging us to get back to shopping as quickly as possible. I was happy when the garden centres opened, because buying seed online proved to be very disappointing, but I truly hope that we choose never get ‘back to normal’ and instead seed a new way forward with much less unnecessary consumption and waste.

There’s lots of food growing here! Marcus has been building new vegetable beds, clearing overgrown areas and creating a chicken city; Sue planted lots of seeds; we bought 4 new chickens then lost two of the old ones to Mr Fox (hence the chicken city); the bees all died and we were devastated but it appears that a swarm has now moved in.

I was so happy to hear how much the crystals have been helping you all, and it’s been lovely responding to your requests for crystals. There’s quite a lot now available in the webshop. Please do have a look!
You can always email if you want something that isn’t there and I’ll help if I can.

Not only have I been working on a webshop, I’ve been writing these blogposts and have even ventured into the world of Facebook Live. Never, ever would I have thought that these things would happen! Who knows what’s next!

We now have surplus seedlings so the little stall is back outside the gate. For those of you who are near, now that some travel for exercise is safe, you can also collect your crystal orders here.

Next blog and Facebook live on Sue Weaver’s Crystal Barn Online
Citrine, Rhodonite and Banded Aragonite

Shungite

Shungite has become incredibly popular recently and I have had so many people asking me about it that I decided to write and speak about it.
Written words below 👇
Spoken words here 🙂

Gorgeous 8cm Shungite Sphere

Shungite is a black, carbon mineral from Karelia that is found in very ancient metamorphic rocks. It is generally considered to have its origins in very ancient sea organisms, similar to those that become oil or coal, but there is also theory that Shungite is part of a giant meteorite.

In rocks with a higher carbon content, it looks very much like shiny black coal; in that with a lower content, it is more grey. Rocks with the highest content appear silvery grey, and are called Noble Shungite or Elite Shungiite. In the crystal world, you can buy different grades of Shungite, and the shiny Noble Shungite costs a lot more than the duller variety. I have both! You can click on any of the text highlighted in pink to take you to the shop

Elite or Noble Shungite Pendant

Unpolished Shungite Pebbles

The standard grade, unpolished has a beautiful, velvety texture, and I love the appearance but it can be rather messy. It’s fine by your wifi and I have a sphere that I love. However, as you can see in the photograph below, where I am sorting a new delivery of Shungite, it wouldn’t be so great to wear.

So what is special about Shungite?

As well as carbon, some Shungite contains tiny amounts of fullerenes - a rare and unusual hollow molecule consisting of many carbon atoms, that is considered to be responsible for many of the healing qualities.

Fullerenes are a class of closed, hollow carbon compounds that comprise of the third form of pure carbon ever discovered. The discovery of fullerenes in the mid-1980s was made by Richard Smalley and Robert Curl of Rice University and Harold Kroto of the University of Sussex. In 1996, Smalley, Curl, and Kroto were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their discovery. The most remarkable of the fullerenes is the 60-carbon alkene buckminsterfullerene, also known as buckyballs. These natural fullerenes have the ability to reduce the concentration of free radicals like no other antioxidant and their action is stronger and longer lasting.

The buckyball was labelled "molecule of the year," in 1991 by Science Magazine where it was described as "the discovery most likely to shape the course of scientific research in the years ahead“.

The earliest evidence that buckyballs occur in nature was discovered by Arizona State University researchers Semeon Tsipursky and Peter Buseck, who found that a sample of rare, carbon-rich rock called shungite, estimated to have been formed between 600 million and 4 billion years ago, contained both C60 and C70 fullerenes, (buckminsterfullerene’s)

Since then, these fascinating molecules have also been identified in meteorites, impact craters, and materials struck by lightning, leading some to believe that shungite may actually originate from out of space.

The hollow structure of the geodesic molecules makes it possible to trap impure atoms inside them like a molecular cage, thereby stabilising impurities and purifying electromagnetic frequencies. This unique capability has captured the attention of the medical community. Researchers believe that eventually buckyballs may be used to deliver medicines to specific tissues and cells, such as those that have been attacked by bacteria, protecting the rest of the body from the toxic effects of potent pharmaceuticals. This would basically mean that the buckminsterfullerene’s could localise disease and stop it from spreading to other cells!

This information is currently being used to develop and improve Medical Resonance Imaging (MRI) contrast agents and image enhancers by using the concept of the carbon cage of the fullerene to shield patients from the radioactive materials inside.

The implications of this discovery are tremendous for modern-day society where we are surrounded by toxic electromagnetic frequencies being emitted from mobile phones, computers, microwaves, wi-fi hot spots and television screens. Shungite has the potential to neutralise and shield us from harmful radiation without interfering with the signal being received by the equipment.

To bring this unique property into your life you can wear a pendant or bracelet; stick a piece on your mobile phone; place by your wifi router, computer, etc.

I have spheres that bring in the energy of Wholeness as well as ‘Shungiteness’; cubes that bring a very stable energy that fits well with ‘Shungiteness’; pyramids that are little powerhouses.
Please click on the images to go to the shop.

Lovely Shungite pendants in a variety of shapes. These are slim and light and, if you don’t want to wear as visible jewellery, they fit easily beneath your clothing. Please click on the images to take you to the shop.

You can also stick a Phone Protector on the back of your mobile phone. Marcus chose the Flower of Life design.

As well as the Flower of Life design, we have lovely Shungite phone protectors in plain and a variety of other engraved patterns. Please click on the images to take you to item in the shop.

Plain

Infinity/BeeDance

Tree of Life

Triple Spiral

And finally, Shungite keyrings. Suitable even for those who aren’t crystal lovers 😉
Please click on the images to take you to item in the shop.

Keyring - Elite Shungite

Keyring - Shungite Bead

For at least 300 years, water flowing over Shungite has been considered to have healing properties. There is a story from the 18th century that tells how Russian Tsar Peter the Great supplied each of his soldiers with a piece of Shungite to put in their water bottles. I don’t know whether they had water bottles in those days, or if they were drinking waterthat had run over Shungite rocks. Anyway, it was said that this contributed to the defeat of the Swedish army during the Battle of Poltova (1709) when dystentery broke out and the Swedes, lacking Shungite, were defeated by the Russians who had water purified and cleansed by Shungite.

More recently, it was observed that the water that came from the Shungite rock appeared to have healing properties and people who drank the water seemed to make rapid recovery from illness. Russian scientists have shown that shungite water purification eradicates heavy metals, chlorine, fluoride and pesticides that can be present in modern-day drinking water.

This has led to the increasingly popular practice of putting Shungite in water as a purifier. I’ve been using Shungite in my water jug for quite some time now. It definitely affects the taste. It seems sweeter and smoother.

Elite or Noble Shungite - perfect for your water bottle or jug

People have asked me how much Shungite do they need for water purification. I’m sure that if you google it, you’ll find some ‘rules’. I don’t have any rules, but am happy to share my opinion here. I only have experience of Tamar Valley water, which is soft water, and I think a £5 or £6 piece is adequate for a standard water 500ml bottle, with 3 pieces for a water jug. If you live in a hard water area, I suggest you experiment. The other question is - how long do I leave the Shungite in the water? This is what I do. In the morning I empty any undrunk water, rinse the Shungite and the jug and refill for the day. Afternoon glasses will have more time with the Shungite than morning glasses, though if I drink it all (or share with others) I simply refill throughout the day.

Apart from the energetic qualities mentioned above, Shungite is grounding without any heaviness. In that way, it is similar to Jet. It feels very stable but light, and I find that it brings a lovely, gentle but definite sense of wellbeing.

Interestingly, it appears to be self-maintaining. Although it is working with ‘negative’ energies, it doesn’t appear to need cleansing - transforming rather than absorbing energy. This is my experience up to today, and of course it might change at any time, so please don’t say, ‘Sue says Shungite doesn’t need cleansing'.
Use your own experience, intuition and discernment and let me know what you find.

Crystal Blessings xxx

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Interesting times and Crystal Grid for Jupiter Pluto conjunction

I can’t believe it is over six months since my last blog post. How time flies and how much happens that we never imagined!

Towards the end of last year, Marcus became certain that we needed to work with three Jupiter/Pluto conjunctions during 2020. You can read more about this here. We’d planned to hold a workshop on Saturday 4th April to prepare for ceremony on Sunday 5th. Now all has changed and are adapting and learning how to do the work that needs doing in a different way.

My task was to enable the crystal grid to manifest and, as usual, this happened in it’s own time. The beginning came with the last new moon. Although it was a spring new moon - so holding the energy of new beginnings to the power of 2 - it felt much more than that. I had a strong feeling of something very big, very powerful and transformative happening. It was the very beginning of our time of retreat and so our usual New Moon Women’s Circle would not be meeting, but I still felt the need to respond to the energy by ‘creating’ the grid below.

This very beautiful egg was insistent on being at the centre. It is lovely gemmy Rose Quartz with a mystery inclusion and I found it hiding away when on a shopping trip some years ago. It has lived in my home but never been ‘out’ or in any grids. I think the inclusion is Pyrite, but I’m not absolutely sure. The egg shape holds the energy of both new beginnings and huge potentials within. So here we have Rose Quartz, a very loving, nurturing energy, holding Pyrite within. People often say that Pyrite is grounding but this isn’t my experience at all. To me, Pyrite is the spark of life - active, creative, initiating.

Surrounding that is Moldavite. Now I’ve only chosen to engage fully, truly, deeply with Moldavite twice in my life, and both times have precipitated huge change - not necessarily the change I might have anticipated or wanted. I hesitated but it was insistent, so I released hesitation and moved into trust.

Next came the 36 Preseli Bluestones that hold the outer boundary - surrounding, grounding, protecting and connecting with the Ancestors of this land. After this was a pause and I left it for a while.

Later came lovely slices of Petrified Wood for ancient Earth Wisdom and Ancient Ancestors, then Emerald for abundance and joy. Between these ‘rows’ were three Moonstones - white, peach and silver/black - the triple goddess. When ‘creating’ crystal grids, I do not choose the stones for their ‘properties. The stones that need to be part of the Crystal Being that is manifesting make themselves known to me. When it is done I can think of what energies they hold and contribute to the whole.

Gently holding, within the Preseli Bluestones, were the soothing energies of 6 raw, unpolished Moon/Girasol Quartz and 6 raw, unpolished Manganocalcites.

The beautiful Chevron Amethyst skull, Layla, that travelled with us last year asked to be close by. She was joined by Liliana, the Rose Quartz skull who joined us in January, and small Preseli Bluestone and Sarsen Stone skulls and dragons.

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I stretched beyond my comfort zone and experimented with a very small online New Moon Women’s Circle. I was completely amazed at the power! We could really feel one another and the energy of the crystal grid. Building on this success, and because of the limits to social contact we are currently experiencing, we decided to meet at first and last quarters as well as New Moon and Full Moon - for individual, personal support as well as holding the Divine Feminine to balance the Whole.

Between New Moon and first quarter Marcus was reminding me that we needed the crystal grid for the Jupiter/Pluto conjunction. Absolutely nothing was speaking to me and I had the strong feeling that it wouldn’t be possible until I had ceased holding the focus as we moved towards the First Quarter. When I went to ‘create’ the grid for our First Quarter meeting on Wednesday, it required no changes at all. The egg feels very so potent and powerful at this time and I’ve encouraged all the sisters to hold the image/energy of a sacred egg and feed it with love as we move from the old ways/world into the new.

On Thursday I sat in the crystal barn and asked what was needed. The Rose Quartz egg, Moldavites and Preseli Bluestones were to stay, so I removed all the other crystals and waited while looking at the astrology chart of the Jupiter/Pluto conjunction. (Marcus’ Blog)

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Some years ago we created Planetary Crystal Packs with four crystals for each planet. How this came about is another story that Marcus has written about in the current book. We’re hoping that this time of isolation enables its completion. Each of the four crystals holds an aspect of the planetary energy. We needed some of these crystals in this grid, but didn’t want to approach it from a mind place.

The first crystals to come in were these lovely polished Labradorite ovals. They are beautiful quality with fabulous colour. Sure enough, they were one of the four Jupiter crystals. So then I started to think about Pluto and placed Black Obsidian tumblestones, but they felt wrong. I thought of other possibilities but nothing else felt right, so I looked in the Earth cabinet and found that I had exactly 6 of these lovely Black Obsidian eggs. Placing them felt just perfect and very powerful. It was time for a rest for me and time to let the grid settle.

Next came in Kyanite - beautiful blue blades of pure connection but also clearing blockages, cutting through and away any dross. Kyanite is in the Pallas Athene pack.

In came the tiny Citrine skulls that have been present in many grids in recent times. You can see them in earlier blog posts. Citrine was in two Planet Crystal packs - Sun and Pallas Athene.

Next came Peridot, Golden Labradorite and Dream (Green) Quartz. Peridot is in the Ceres pack; Golden Labradorite is in the Chiron pack and also helps us to connect with the Spirit of the Sun; Green Quartz is in the Venus packs and Chlorite included Garden Quartz is inthe Ceres Packs. Also, since this retreat time is a perfect opportunity for us to spend time on focussing our dreaming of a new Earth, Dream Quartz is just perfect. It was time for another settling time.

After a break I called Marcus in to look at and feel the grid. He loved it, which is always nice 🙂
With Marcus sitting in the crystal barn with me, the rest came quickly and I forgot to take photographs as it grew.

First came the beautiful Green Petrified Wood, to be placed close to the outer Preseli Bluestone ‘container’. These hold the ancient wisdom of Gaia. Next were some tiny Red Garnets that had been calling to me earleir. These brought the energy of Mars to sit between the Petrified Wood. Between the Dream Quartz and the Garnets came in Rose Quartz hearts for Venus, Earth, Ceres and Juno. I had 6 beautiful clear bright Ametrines that had been calling strongly. These aren’t in any of the packs but were insistent on being present.

Marcus asked about Saturn and in came 8 beautiful Mookites. You can see these Mookites in an earlier blog 25 September 2019. We also added more Golden Labradorite to create a beautiful circle with those already placed and the Peridots.

It felt so beautiful, and we thought it was complete. I started to tidy away, but as I was putting the Moonstones from the earlier grids away, I realised that there was no Moon energy in the grid, yet the moon was very obvious to me (not an astrologer!) in the chart.

Moonstone did not feel right at all. Instead I placed Selenite and the whole grid changed. It was beautiful before, but the addition of the Selenites brought in a cool, light energy. Below is the completed grid with candles lit.

We are focussing on this now in preparation for ceremony tomorrow. Please join us if you feel called to do so.
Here is the link 💚🌍💚

Crystal grid part 2 and preparing for our sacred journey

Well, dear Ones, it’s time for the next installment in the creation of a crystal grid to hold the energy for our sacred journey next week. (Scroll down for part 1.)

Last week inspiration came and the work was started. The crystal grid spent the weekend gathering energy in the Crystal Barn while we went off, with the crystal stall, to the Healing Light Festival.

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I’ll tell you a little about waiting for inspiration for crystal grids. Even when we have been holding an intention for months, sometimes it doesn’t come until the last minute. This can be quite testing, but I have learned to trust. In the past, there have been times when Marcus has kept reminding me that time is getting short. I often get inspiration in the shower and once it was the very morning of the event. The thing is, until I know what’s needed, I don’t know! I once said that we had two choices - wait until I know or make something up. He doesn’t ask any more. This time it has been very slow and easy, with the whole energy building for months. You can read about the coming of the Horse Drum and beater in earlier blogs.

A short recap - the Crystal Grid has a large Chrysoprase flame in the centre. It is surrounded by Citrine skulls and Golden Labradorite for the Sun; Fluorite octahedra for Mercury; Rose Quartz hearts and Emerald for Venus; Jade hearts for Earth and Preseli Bluestone for our land/bit of Earth; Garnets for Mars.

Moon energy needed to be woven in with Earth, and yesterday I chose Moonstones in white, peach and silver grey. You can see them between the Jade hearts and Preseli Bluestone tumblestones.

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After a few hours it was time to add the Asteroids - Ceres, Vesta, Pallas Athene and Juno. For these, the following stepped forward: Peridot for Ceres, Pink Petalite for Vesta, Herkimer Diamonds for Pallas Athene and Iolite for Juno.

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It was then time for a rest to allow the energies to settle before adding Jupiter and Saturn.

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For Jupiter I added Amethyst crystals and Sodalite tumblestones. The crystals, with points facing outwards, help to create the expansive energy of Jupiter. As they were placed, the grid certainly felt huge!

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And finally, for this crystal grid and this Sacred Journey, Mookite was added for Saturn.

The grid will remain in the Crystal Barn until Friday morning, with the Horse Drum and beater. I had planned to make a beautiful bag for the drum, but he doesn’t want anything elaborate or at all ’frilly’ so I’ve ordered a very basic black drum bag.

On Friday, all will be carefully wrapped and taken to Pewsey where we will be based for a week. When there is time, we’ll post some information on our Heaven & Earth Community Facebook page so you can follow us, and join us in spirit if you are called to do so.

https://www.heavenandearthcommunity.co.uk/sacred-journeys

https://www.facebook.com/heavenandearthcommunity/

Life unfolding; earth’s bounty, sisterhood, horse drum, the birthing of a crystal grid

September! The harvest time has now passed and though we still have beautiful, sunny days the mornings have a misty chill. It’s time to look back with gratitude over a beautiful and very productive summer and to look forward to what is to come. It’s been an exciting time and there is much to come.

The chickens we brought home in the spring (seen in a large pen on the day they arrived, so they get used to their new home) are now 100% free range - escaping any boundaries we place for their protection and wandering far and wide. They are complete characters that give us such joy - and the most delicious eggs. Seren completely ignores them as they wander around!

I’ve never seen such a bounty of flowers before. It has been utterly beautiful. We’ve grown the biggest tomatoes and a glut of beans and taken our very first jars of honey. I’ve experimented with Dandelion Syrup and beautiful St John’s Wort oil for the first time, made delicious Elderflower cordial as usual, Calendula oil, lots of natural cleaning products and dried lots of herbs.

At the end of August we held a Sisterhood Gathering here. The intent was to take time out from a crazy world to nurture ourselves and each other - and we did!

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Ten women from spent four days together and a further eleven joined us at the weekend. We sat in sharing circles, sang, drummed, laughed, cried, sewed, crafted, cooked and shared food, helped and cared for one another, held a craftmarket and a shaman’s market that raised over £200 for XR, and carried ash from our much-loved-and-much-used ceremony circle in the woods to the new, more accessible circle in the garden.

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Just over half a year ago I wrote my first ever blog post - inspired by the beautiful Horse Drum that had called to me so strongly. He will join us on our Sacred Journey that begins soon.
https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/blog/2019/1/31/i-appear-to-be-writing-a-blog
The second blog post was about smudging and, after a very long wait, I heard from customs yesterday and a new batch of beautiful White Sage will be delivered tomorrow. Export regulations mean that I am no longer able to source abalone shells as before, but I’m happy to have found a new ethical supplier, so all will be added to my shop soon.
https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/blog/2019/2/11/awakening-energy-amp-spring-cleaning
The third blog post was about the earlier stages of seeding the new Ceremony Circle, in August 2018 and Spring 2019, that was fully awakened this August. It all takes time to unfold, involving many stages and many hands. If you didn’t see that blog post, do have a look to see the children planting crystals.
https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/blog/2019/3/25/the-joys-of-spring
And the last blog was about crystals and new directions for crystal training.
https://www.sueweaver.co.uk/blog/2019/6/17/crystals-true-power-and-trivialisation

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Back to the Horse Drum. He’s been sitting quietly in the house since the end of January. He’s definitely a ’he’ and has a rather gruff personality. When we bought him from Ros Simons we discussed the beater that was still to be made. Since the work that he will be a part of involves the planets and asteroids, the plan was to include tiny gemstone chips that resonate with each of the planetary energies.

We chose Rubies for the Sun, Blue Topaz for Mercury, Emeralds for Venus, Moss Agate for Earth
Moonstone for the Moon, Red Garnet for Mars, Green Tourmaline for Ceres, Pink Tourmaline for Vesta
Citrine for Pallas Athene, Iolite for Juno, Fluorite for Jupiter, Mookite for Saturn, Golden
Labradorite for Chiron, Herkimer Diamonds for Uranus, Larimar for Neptune, Obsidian for Pluto . . .

And back came a very, very beautiful drum beater/rattle.

Drum and beater have been getting to know one another.

It is now less than 2 weeks before we leave for the first Sacred Journey in a series of four. You can read more here: https://www.heavenandearthcommunity.co.uk/sacred-journeys/#anchor2.

Along with complicated itineraries, accommodation and transport planning, food ordering and many more practical tasks, we need a crystal grid that will form the basis of our altar and focus our work on the land.

We always set up our altar on the first evening and it builds energy throughout the journey. Once in ceremony our altar is sacred and we don’t share images. But I know that lots of you are very interested in Crystal Grids and I can share the process of the growth of this one.

On Sunday I had the feeling that it was time to begin. This was a real blessing as there have been many occasions when inspiration doesn’t come until the very last moment and trust is really tested.

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Holding the purpose of the Sacred Journey in mind, I started to consider the base cloth. Green seemed right. In my altar cloths box in the garage were two green cloths in different shades. I chose one and took it to the Crystal Barn to meet the Horse Drum and Beater. Look at the colour match!

I had the feeling that we should use my magical grid base. (Good news! I’ve found someone local to make these - coming soon!) Then I thought we should use my beautiful Citrine sphere in the centre. I placed it and sat in quiet stillness. Almost immediately it was very clear that, although this sphere is very beautiful, it wasn’t what was needed for this work.

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Gently holding the question of how to begin, I looked round the barn and saw the beautiful Chrysoprase Flame that had drawn me so powerfully in spring. I placed it in the centre of the grid and it was perfect. That was enough and I left them to ‘cook’.

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Later that evening I felt that it was time to add some Sun energy. We’d chosen Ruby chips for the Sun energy in the beater. I have a lot of Rubies at present, but felt that wasn’t what was needed for the grid. Citrine seemed right, and while I was considering whether it should be crystals or tumblestones my eyes fell on 6 tiny skulls! I placed them and they were just perfect. Between the skulls I added Golden Labradorite for the Spirit of the Sun/Sun behind the Sun rather than the physical Sun.

I knew I wanted Fluorite octahedra for Mercury, but it wasn’t yet time. What was needed was something to ’hold’ the energy. Some time ago, on an adventure with sisters, I bought Preseli Bluestone Sarcen Stone skulls and dragons and they have been on my altar - waiting. It was their time! The final placement for Sunday was two Quartz Angels.

Gathering energy in the Crystal Barn with early evening sun

On Monday I added Fluorite octahedra, in different colours, from my own healing crystals; Emerald and Rose Quartz for Venus; Jade hearts for Earth. More was needed for Mercury and Earth, but first another period of resting, waiting, gathering energy.

On Wednesday it was time to add more crystals. I really wanted Aqua Aura for Mercury but I couldn’t find any. I knew I wanted to add Preseli Bluestone but not until ‘Mercury’ was complete. I sat with the grid and realised that the Jade hearts needed to change position. As I moved them I spotted some tiny Blue Chalcedony tumblestones and laid them between the Fluorites. The Preseli Bluestones sat beautifully beside the Rose Quartz hearts and Garnets came in for Mars. We still need some Moon Crystals to weave between the Earth Crystals. This will come when the time is right.

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The crystal grid will continue to grow as each layer is added - all in perfect timing. This weekend we are at the Healing Light Festival at Heartlands, Pool, Redruth, so from now we’ll be busy with preparation. Although the crystal grid will grow, I will not have time to take photographs and there may be a little wait for the next installment.

Until then, Crystal Blessings xxx

New Crystal Healing Courses (after a break)

Crystals called me many years ago. Although it was totally unexpected, once it had happened there was no question in my mind that this would be my future path. At the time it was really hard to find a teacher, or even much information. (I’ll write about my early crystal journey one day, if there is interest.)

Crystal Healing was definitely very, very Woo Woo! In the past 30 years this situation has changed completely.

Crystals and Crystal Healing have become mainstream, with articles in just about every women’s magazine and even some in national newspapers. Celebrities promote them on television, and some sell them within their own product ranges.

When I first started doing fairs and festivals, they were the only place to meet people who were excited to share healing knowledge and experience, and the only place to buy crystals, aromatherapy oils and all ‘new age products’.

Nowadays you can buy homeopathic remedies in chemist shops; essential oils is big business; everything is available on eBay with endless ‘facts’ about ‘what the crystal does’; and China is churning out millions of crystal carvings from spheres, eggs, pyramids, angels and pendulums to wonky wands and badly shaped dogs and dolphins.

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In some ways this is excellent. More and more people are finding ways to take charge of their wellbeing.

What isn’t so great is that real, powerful information is being completely lost in the ocean of quick soundbites and pretty instagram pictures.

It is a tale of our times, and not just related to crystals and crystal healing. We live in a world where image and marketing is all and truth doesn’t really matter.

I had decided that it was time to take a break from teaching - for lots of reasons. I’d recently come through a very challenging time in my life, I’d become a granny and I’d been teaching the same course for a very long time. It was time for a review of everything - to decide what was important to me. I’d finished teaching what had become my favourite Diploma course in 18 years, with wonderful group that had truly fed my soul, and I wondered if I should stop ‘on a high’. I’d also been very sad about the direction that crystal healing teaching has taken, with endless courses promising the impossible or sharing nonsense packaged as something worthwhile. It’s an unpleasant symptom of a greedy world.

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Also, though I understand so much more than I did 30 years ago, and have so much more wisdom to share, I definitely don’t have the energy I used to have!

If I were to continue teaching, I needed to find a way that enabled me to continue to work within the field, with integrity, truly serving students and not just my own pocket or ego, within the energy available to me.

I meet lots of people who are newly excited about crystals. They tell me that, in the face of an avalanche of conflicting information, they simply don’t know where to begin. I also meet people who say that there are so many things they wish they had found out earlier on their crystal journey - both real, grounded, useful information and also what to avoid. It would have saved them a lot of money!

So I decided to offer some Introductory Day Workshops - something I haven’t done for a very long time.

I taught the first one in April and I enjoyed it so much that I decided to do others.

These words are from someone who attended the April Workshop:

‘I want to say how much I enjoyed the crystal workshop in the crystal barn. It was such a surprising day. Everything I ever wanted to know about crystals you touched on and answered all our questions. There was lots of time to talk and learn.

Most surprising was the two hands on treatments we gave each other, they showed us how powerful the energy of crystals are.

I have taken so many things away with me. I love the idea that crystals chose us and we give them legs so they can do their work. There is so much more to learn.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge with others in your beautiful crystal barn.’

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Introductory workshops 2019

Lots of people from further down in Cornwall have asked, so!
Perranporth - Saturday 20th July

And on home ground, Sue’s Crystal Barn, near Callington - Saturday 14th September.

Please go to the Diary for more information.

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I decided that what was really needed, for the highest good, was an old style apprentice, who could assist and support me while learning in order to teach in the future. I’ve had volunteers for this post in the past – before there was a vacancy! But what I wanted was someone who has been truly called by the Crystals, as I was.

As always, I was guided by the Crystal Spirits, and Joanna May is now working with me.

Joanna was a student on the last Diploma course and now has her own healing practice in Bude – Lavender Rose Healing.

She will also be assisting on the upcoming Crystal Healing Diploma Course.

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Diploma Course in Crystal Healing

Part One/Basic Certificate - a 5 day course

Friday 25th, Saturday 26th, Sunday 27th October

&

Saturday 23rd, Sunday 24th November

We have started to take applications. If you are interested, please apply soon.
To find out more, please go to the Cornwall School of Crystal Healing page.
You can also email for more information. Or come and have a chat at an Open Day.

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If the Crystals are calling to you,

and you’d like to learn more,

please join us.

Or pop in to an Open Day for a chat.

Check the Diary for dates.

Or email with questions.

Crystal Blessings, Sue xxx

The joys of Spring

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Spring is my favourite season. Since working consciously with the Wheel of the Year, I’ve learned to love the special qualities of all the seasons, but Spring remains the best for me.

My absolute favourite time of year is the lush fertility of May. To me, there is nowhere on Earth more beautiful than the Tamar Valley in May - but this early spring brings the exciting gift of emerging growth and the promise of things to come.

On Wednesday evening, a small group of us meditated together to mark Spring Equinox and the Full Moon. Because the Equinox was in the week, we had decided to hold a Spring Ceremony at the weekend and following the absolutely lovely Children’s Ceremony we held at Winter Solstice we decided to invite the young ones in our community once more. What a delight it was!

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We gathered in the Crystal Barn to open our circle. The altar had been created that morning and the children had been invited to bring two items – one that holds the energy of spring and one personal item. I love the joy of these altars. We had teddies and dolls and dragons and all manner of precious treasure joining daisies, bluebells, bulbs and seeds. We passed the talking stick, sang, drummed and rattled.

It is so very special to see children who, only a short time ago were too shy to speak in the circle, now confidently holding the talking stick and sharing their thoughts. Two girls, one of whom was just two when she first came to ceremony with her mother, are now among the older ones and they took responsibility for smudging everyone before we began.

In the winds last month, the lovely bunting that was made last year by Linda, Annie and myself blew away. Instead of making more bunting, I’d had the idea of painting prayer flags and so invited the children to do this. Each time we have had a children’s event, we’ve worked with the Elements, and this was the theme of their creations. They also made a flag to take home, enabling the recently pruned willow to be put to good use.

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I had thought that Spring Equinox would be the time we made felt for the Horse Drum bag, but clearly that wasn’t to be since events unfolded that prevented it happening. He was, however, insistent on being on the Altar along with his lovely drum bag strap.

At the New Moon ceremony on 6th May, dear Dee arrived with a Peruvian belt. She’d been going through some possessions and had had the strong feeling that she needed to bring it and give it to me. As yet I have no idea why the Horse Drum that is part of the work with our land should have a Peruvian belt . . .

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From New to Full Moon I had been intent on making the drum bag. With Full Moon/Eclipse I realised that what we actually needed to do was more work with our new Ceremony Circle.

In 2017 my lovely vegetable and herb garden was completely destroyed as it was necessary to dig out the leat that runs by my house. 25 years ago the National Trust did a typical penny pinching botch job that had led to quite a serious problems, so although the mess and noise and disruption was pretty appalling in this normally peaceful spot, it was good that the situation was being addressed at last! And there has been something very cleansing and healing about opening the space/water flow ‘right down to the bottom’.  

At the same time, a new, flat, south facing patch of land had become available to us – a much better spot for vegetable growing. Also, it had become clear that quite a few of our community members were finding it increasingly difficult to make the trek up to the sacred circle in the woods. So we decided that when the holes were filled and the grass growing once more, we’d create an additional, more easily accessible, ceremony circle.

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The very first step came when I was offered the 4 Directions poles following a beautiful women’s moon gathering I attended. They were stored, with the intention of placing them to hold the Directions in our new circle.

From May to August they rested in the barn. In August we shared some very special and powerful ceremonies in Stonehenge and at the Hurlers, and I woke up the morning after the New Moon with the feeling that it was time for the next step!

Helen, Linda, Sheila, Marcus and I meditated together in the Crystal Barn to discern the way ahead. We chose 5 Preseli Bluestones from the crystal grids and altars we’d been working with, and an extra stone for Fire, Earth, Air, Water and Spirit. Marcus measured the circle and we planted the crystal seeds. Throughout this time we had been blessed to have the ‘loan’ of dear Paddy’s magnificent Preseli Bluestone bowl – a very special Being who has now been part of many ceremonies on the land. With seeds planted, we left the circle to ‘bed in’ through the autumn and winter.

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As ‘my plans’ for creating the bag for Horse Drum faded, the thought came that it would be wonderful to take the next step of creating the Circle with the children – Spring energy and the beautiful energy of the children. I created small bags of crystals with each containing a Preseli Bluestone, a Rose Quartz and a tiny Herkimer Diamond. With a small fire in the middle of the Circle, the children planted their seed crystals in the ground. (They also got to choose one to keep!) Anwen started in the East – because she’d just had a birthday – and when the circle was complete, we joined hands and sang together.

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It feels so special to be involving the young ones in community events. They bring such a beautiful, joyous, curious, playful energy. In the evening, a small group of adults sat in the Crystal Barn to connect with Spring energy in a quiet way. As we sat in silence, the whole place seemed to hold the echo of the bright energy from earlier.

We wish you a happy Spring and Summer to come, and hope your dreamseeds become manifest.

If you would like to see more ceremony photographs, including some from last summer’s events - mentioned above - please go to our Heaven & Earth Community Facebook page

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Awakening energy & spring cleaning

Between grey rainy days there have been some days of complete delight lately – with clear blue skies, snowdrops in the hedge, catkins dancing in the breeze, the trees just beginning that gorgeous pre-growth shimmer and the first daffodils.

With this energy, last Wednesday I felt spurred to action and started thinning my books! The sitting room got a complete clean. All the crystals got a nice bath. Then it was time to smudge.

I’ve written about smudging before, but since following spring cleaning is such a perfect time to smudge your home, I thought I’d share once more.

Many cultures consider certain plants to be sacred, and to have special properties that can help us. For centuries, various plants such a sage, cedar, lavender, frankincense have been burned to create a fragrant cleansing smoke or smudge. Cleansing with sacred herbs is both a practical and sacred ritual.

There are many plants to choose from and you can choose a herb, or a mix of herbs, that you like and that feels good and appropriate to you. I like to grow and dry my own herbs to make special smudging mixtures.

The photograph below shows Sweet Woodruff - an absolutely beautiful plant with leaves in little star whorls. It loves my garden and grows prolifically. When dried it has the most beautiful sweet scent, but is an absolute labour of love to burn.

While I do use my own mixes for special ceremonies and events, the smoke that I find has the most effective general cleansing properties, and which I use most often, is White Sage (Salvia Apiana). This is imported from USA - as loose leaves, clusters of leaves, or wound into smudge bundles. I really wish I could grow it. I’ve tried, but this damp valley in Cornwall is not a good environment for the plant.

A longtime ago I made shamanic journeys to the Spirits of lots of plants used in smudging and asked if I could be shown how each works.

Apart from my preference for the smell of White Sage over lots of other plants, and the fact that it feels energetically lighter, what I was shown taught me that it is really, really good at clearing, cleansing and lightening the energy of people and spaces.

When I smudge myself, I often use my hand to direct the smoke. When smudging a person or a place, I often use a feather.

One thing you definitely need is a fireproof container. One of the true rules of smudging is that however hard it is to light the herbs in the beginning, when it is time to go out they will probably be burning well! The container can be anything that prevents fire from spreading and doesn’t burn your hand, so metal is out unless it is on a cord!

A strong ceramic bowl is good, and I have often used bowls with a little soil or sand in the bottom. Often a shell isused.

Smudging with shell and feather is particularly lovely since it brings in the 4 Daughters of Beauty or the 4 Elements. The plant represents the Earth element and the shell represents Water. They are burned and transformed by Fire into cleansing smoke. The smoke itself, and the feather, represent the element Air.

There are many ways of smudging - many traditions and rituals. You may well find that people are attached to ‘the right way’ of smudging. I’ve certainly been told off more than once for ‘doing it wrong’, yet I’ve watched several Grandmothers in ceremony, and they each have their own way. I have my own way to smudge my home, so I’ll share it with you.

I begin with cleaning on the physical level – a good tidy, dust, sweep, ‘spit and polish’, and a good crystal cleanse. I like to do this with windows and door open, whenever possible, and it is good to keep them open while you smudge if you can.  I set a clear, strong intent to clear any energies that do not belong in my home.

I start upstairs, in the corner of the bathroom. I move around the room, using the feather to wave the smoke into nooks and crannies, paying particular attention to corners, all the time focusing on clearing and cleansing. I then move to my bedroom and repeat, to the other bedrooms and then down the stairs. I move through the rooms downstairs, ending at the door.

Having completed the smudging, I sometimes go round again with sweetgrass. This herb smells divine and brings blessings into your home. It does not burn like sage, and you need to be patient and persevere. I will need lighting several times, but it really is worth it. 

You can light a stick of your favourite incense or diffuse an essential oil or a combination of oils. Put your cleansed and sparkling crystals back in place and add some vases of flowers.

There are some situations where it doesn’t work to create smoke, and indeed some people just don’t like it, so you could use my special Cleanse Aura Spray. This is made from my personal tried and tested recipe which includes a blend of 5 essential oils, my own Quartz Crystal essence, pure focussed intent and lots of love. It is so hard to find the perfect White Sage oil and it is pretty expensive. I’ve had many expensive disappointments along the way. Every bottle is made as part of a small batch at special times, such a Full Moon or Equinox, and each batch has its own energy. This Aura Spray is also very useful when you need a quick ‘clear and lift’ of energy – yourself or in a room.

You can buy Cleanse Aura Spray, White Sage - loose or in bundles, Abalone Shells in various sizes, Sweetgrass Braids and Feathers in my Facebook group sale tomorrow evening.
Sue’s Crystal Barn Online
Tuesday 12th February at 7pm.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/CrystalBarnOnline/

I also have 2 lovely Home Blessing Kits available and can create ‘Mini Kits’ from a selection of items.

For those of you who are wondering about the Horse Drum, he is pretty quiet at the moment. He has found a spot to rest for now and seems quite happy there.

Happy Spring Cleaning! May your hearth be clear and bright, and filled with many blessings.

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Smudging Supplies - Crystal Barn Online tomorrow at 7pm
Home Blessing Kit: £19
Loose White Sage 25g: £3
Loose White Sage 50g: £5
Sweetgrass Braids: £5
Small White Sage Bundles: £3
Abalone Shells 4 to 5 inch: £5
Cleanse Aura Spray: £10
https://www.facebook.com/groups/CrystalBarnOnline/

I appear to be writing a blog!

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I can’t quite believe that I am actually writing a blog post, but it appears that I am! For years now, people have kept telling me that I should write more. It has never been something that I feel particularly drawn to but over the past few days I’ve had several nudges from Spirit. Apparently it is about weaving in more energies, so here goes . . .

Marcus and I and a group of fellow travellers will be making the first of a series of Sacred Journeys in September. These journeys are all about our Sacred Land - Britain. You can read about why we are doing this: www.heavenandearthcommunity.co.uk

In all our work there is an initial spark which is usually related to Marcus’ work with astrology and/or earth energies. The seed is then sown, but how the process will unfold is a complete mystery until each part is revealed. Very often we do not understand the significance of particular events or experiences at the time until more pieces of the jigsaw reveal a clearer picture. There is always a gathering and a weaving. Sometimes pieces aren’t revealed until the very last moments – frequently in dreams the night before a significant event or even in the shower that morning. We have learned to trust!

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At the weekend we were at the Healing Light Festival – a small, friendly, heart-centred, Cornish event that takes place 3 times a year. It was very busy and I didn’t move from the stall except to make necessary loo trips. These took me past Ros Simons’ display of gorgeous drums. Every time I passed by, I was drawn very powerfully to one drum, so much so that I was finding it hard to keep from being distracted by its presence. I really don’t need another drum. I have my precious drum that I made about 15 years ago. This was long before people spoke of ‘birthing’ drums, but the following day I remember saying that it felt like I had a new baby. I’ve spent much time with that drum, learning together, and we are now old friends.

Also, in the past year I have been focussing strongly on releasing and clearing, and I absolutely do not want to buy anything just from personal desire.

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By Sunday I needed to touch the drum. He – definitely he – felt good, but I still didn’t understand the connection. He is from horse skin, with a deer bone handle and woven onto a green wooden circle. I read the label. Tales of the Chalk. Could this be something to do with our journey to come? I started to feel the beginnings of the inner vibration that alerts me to something of significance. Jon asked if I’d seen the paintings inside. White Horse! Moon! Stonehenge! The vibration increased and the room began to shimmer.

The drum is not for me; it is for the journey! We need it for the journey. I showed Marcus and he agreed.

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Ros came back to find that we had decided to buy the drum. I told her what we needed it for and she started to tell the tale of bringing him into being. There had been many knowings and unknowings – knowing that things were right but not knowing why – trusting and following the threads. She also said that she was very uncomfortable painting or drawing, and usually didn’t do this unless people had specifically asked for this in a commission. She was happy that she had followed her dreaming.We agreed that she should keep the drumstick for a while, since more work was needed now that we knew the path it would take.

Ros asked if we needed a drum bag. I feel that the creation of the drum bag will involve many hands and be part of the unfolding journey, so when it came time to leave I had to find a temporary wrapping. The only item that could give suitable physical protection, in the van with all the crystal boxes and stall, was a soft pink blanket that we had taken for the healing couch. As I lay it down and picked up the drum, I heard the words, ‘You aren’t seriously planning to wrap me in that, are you?’ He reminds me very strongly of Ezekiel, my special personal crystal, who ‘speaks’ in a similar voice and tone. I’m afraid I did wrap him in it, with a promise that I’d unwrap him as soon as we were home, and that I’d start dreaming in an appropriate bag right away. This is in process.

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He is already calling strongly. I feel that even without yet being played, he has begun to draw the work in - pulling the threads of our Journey closer. He is now in the Earth corner of the Crystal Barn. I await the next instructions.

Meanwhile . . . we came home ready to prepare for Imbolc, which we will celebrate with a Crystal Labyrinth and Sound Healing Ceremony. We last held this ceremony at Samhain 2016 and I wanted to hold another at Samhain last year, but it became clear that the time wasn’t yet right so we postponed until now.

Imbolc is the time of the returning Light and the Reawakening of Earth and is dedicated to Brigid (Bride, Breed, Brigantia, Britannia). She is the Sun/Fire Goddess of inspiration and creation, associated with both the hearth fire and also blacksmiths and their creative work with earth and fire. She is also a Water Goddess who is honoured at many sacred wells; goddess of fertility and birth, protector of mothers and children; She is a mediator, a goddess of vision and harmony and of strength and healing. The name of our land - Britain - is derived from her name.

We like to use Preseli Bluestone in our crystal labyrinths, to link with the ancestors of our island. Last week I realised that I was quite low on stocks of this stone, so ordered more. As I was unpacking today in preparation for our Imbolc Ceremony, the shimmering began. I remembered our seed bundles from the Winter Solstice Ceremony that hold our dreamseeds for this year, including those for the Sacred Journey to come. They will be physically planted at Imbolc (or when Winter Goddess retreats a bit more!) and energetically planted in the Imbolc Ceremony. It is all being woven. Some of the Labyrinth Stones will stay with us to come to future ceremonies and eventually travel with us on our Journey; some will go with the people who join us this weekend; all will unfold in time as we begin to understand more. And the new Drum will be present at our Imbolc Ceremony as the story unfolds and the energy gathers and weaves.

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Finally, as I was taking photographs of the Preseli Bluestone, I noticed that there was one tiny stone that was different. As I looked closer, I saw that it was a little piece of Charoite.
To me, Charoite is a powerful healer that works at deep karmic levels, thus enabling us to work for the highest good of all. I’m going to pop it in the Drum’s little medicine pouch.

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Heaven & Earth Community: www.heavenandearthcommunity.co.uk

Healing Light Festival: www.thehealinglightfestival.com

Ros Simons: www.ros-simons.co.uk

To read about Preseli Bluestone:
Preseli Bluestone: Healing Stone of the Ancestors by Sue and Simon Lilly
ISBN 978 1905454082

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