Pagan Blog Project – week 33 – Q#1– Quartz

Pagan Blog Project – week 33 – Q#1 – Quartz

For a long time I hated quartz.

I mean, not hate hate.  I just didn’t like it.  I was utterly underwhelmed.  I’m an April baby, which means that my birthstone is the diamond (though sometimes it’s listed as cubic zirconia or quartz.)  That means all of my birthstone jewelry is clear.  That means all of my birthstone jewelry is ugly.  This is especially when compared to beautiful stones like July’s ruby, September’s sapphire, or even November’s topaz. 

Diamonds and quartz and cubic zirconia are just boring.  So when I first started to collect stones I’d reach for the pretty ones – amethyst (of course), fluorite, and citrine.  And then I began to move onto the colorful ones like labradorite, jasper, and moonstone.

As I’ve grown with my relationship with crystals, I’ve come to appreciate them all, including (or especially) the ugly or boring ones.  Sure, I typically still enjoy something shiny and pretty like pyrite or a highly polished geode, but over the years I’ve come to appreciate stones and crystals as not just adornments, but as magical tools.  I can wear a hematite pendant when I want a little extra protection, and no one is going to notice it like they would if I wore an elaborate amulet.  I can slip on a cute onyx ring and no one is going to look at it and know that I’m in need of some grounding and stability in my life.

I’m still not the biggest fan of diamonds (a lot of my issues with diamonds are ethical ones coming from the diamond industry and the wedding-industrial complex) and cubic zirconia (I’m still trying to reconcile my relationship with man-made stones)  But I’ve started to appreciate and even enjoy quartz.

According to Wikipedia, it’s the “second most abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust.”  This has become abundantly clear when browsing crystals online or in stores or shopping for other magical tools.  Quartz is everywhere.  I’ve also come to realize that many of my more prized crystals are really just different types of quartz, including citrine and amethyst.  Quartz is also found in other stones, like agate, onyx, carnelian, and jasper.  So, it’s pretty hard to get away from it.

But not only is it abundant and permeating, quartz is powerful, too.  I’ve read many places over the years that say that if you don’t have a certain gemstone quartz can stand in for anything that you might need.  It’s an energy amplifier, and pairs well with pretty much everything.  It’s commonly used in the tips of wands or staffs, and it can be a great addition to an altar or other special area as a way to increase the vibrations of that space.  Some special quartz also retains energy, emotions, memories, and data, and these can be accessed through meditations and visualizations.

I’ve also come to realize that quartz is actually very beautiful.  I have a few clear quartz pieces I’ve managed to collect over the years, and I display them proudly with my flashier chunks of pyrite, amethyst, and citrine.  I use them in charms and rituals, and I have a few placed strategically around the house where I think they might enjoy themselves and also direct the energy in a way that is beneficial for everyone.

Just because a crystal isn’t flashy (like labradorite) or pretty (like moonstone) or really cool looking (like jasper) or found in every single new age store across the globe (amethyst), I'm glad I gave quartz a chance.  I stumbled upon a stone that became a favorite, as well as being a versatile, powerhouse of energy.

So, do you have any favorite crystals or gemstones?  What are your least favorite crystals or gemstones?  Do you have anything that it took you a while to work with but once you did you were happy with the results?  Please share your thoughts in the comments!  I’m always trying to learn more things about crystals, and I’d love to hear from you!  In the meantime, clear skies!

Other crystals I've written about:

Amber

Black Apatite

Blue Apatite

Citrine

Geodes

Howlite

Jet

Moldavite

Smoky Citrine

Smoky Quartz

Pagan Blog Project – week 25 – M#1 – Moldavite

http://www.healingcrystals.com/Moldavite_Crystals.html

Pagan Blog Project – week 25 – M#1 – Moldavite

Moldavite is the perfect stone for a Space Witch like me, and it’s become one of my all-time favorites. It is a magical blend of both heaven and of earth, and isn’t that what being a Space Witch is all about? A Space Witch is of the Earth but dreams of the cosmos, and moldavite encompasses that celestial dream and this earthly realm.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Meteorites

Ranging in colors from dark olive to bright green, moldavite is a special type of glass that resulted from the impact of a meteor in Eastern Europe, probably around 15-million years ago. The giant meteor was so hot that it melted the earth upon impact, shooting big globs of molten stuff in the air. When that stuff cooled, it created a lovely green glass that is a combination of space material and earthly substances. It’s a lot like obsidian, which is also glass created from the super-hot, molten crust of the earth. Moldavite, however, is what was created when the meteor melted the earth and melted into the earth, creating a lovely blend of both realms.  

https://www.etsy.com/shop/NaturalRockShop

The higher quality pieces of moldavite are known for their “fern-like” patterns. When I think of ferns I think of dinosaurs and a time before humans or mammals, a time unlike any of us will ever know.  Moldavite comes from this ancient time, but also holds within it a promise of the future, of outer space, and of our destiny as the human race as we hold Earth to be our home but look to the stars for possibilities.

I have read that one of the Roman Sibyls used a giant slab of moldavite in her rituals. She would perform her rites in a cave sacred to Hecate, and part of the ritual would include a processional presentation of the slab of moldavite. It is said that this meteorite glass represented the Goddess Cybele or Rhea, or a similar Earth Mother/Queen of Heaven. It is also said that the Holy Grail from Christian lore was carved from a piece of moldavite. A very late Gnostic sect, the Cathars, believed that the Holy Grail wasn’t a grail at all, but a mysterious stone from outer space.

http://www.healingcrystals.com/Moldavite_Crystals.html

Magically, moldavite is said to vibrate at an incredibly high frequency. This is said to aid those who want to be in contact with the heavenly realms, though I feel as if it connects one to more than just heaven, but earth as well. It is used in lucid dreaming, astral travel, to connected with one’s angel or spirit guides, and trance work.

Unfortunately I do not have many pieces of moldavite. When it comes to a stone or crystal I really, really want, I shop around forever until the “perfect” piece comes around, which is almost never! I do have a tiny pair of moldavite earrings I splurged on, though, and I wear them when I want a little extra energy and openness to my life - whether I am just running errands or engaging in a powerful ritual. And for special occasions I use some special moldavite incense (Moldavite Incense Sticks - With Real Moldavite Essence) or moldavite oil I have, but I tend to hoard these, saving them only for super special occasions.

http://www.healingcrystals.com/Moldavite_Crystals.html

Artificial oldavite can be made in a lab, so be careful when buying this stone online! Lab-created moldavite is pretty easy to spot – the pock marks are too uniform in placement and shape, the size way too large, and the color not quite right. It looks pretty fake, like plastic, and holds none of the magical properties of the genuine, ancient glass.  

Created over 15-million years ago from a unique meteor impact, moldavite is naturally a very rare glass. I’ve seen it increase in popularity over the years, with pieces being smaller and with more imperfections. Like many of Earth’s precious stones, once moldavite is gone, it’s gone for good.

I find moldavite to be the perfect combination of heaven and earth, the terrestrial and the celestial, the rare and the beautiful. This rare beauty is a perfect addition to any Space Witch treasure chest!

(Interested in buying some moldavite? Message me for a super special coupon code at Healing Crystals!) 

Pagan Blog Project - week 20 – J#2 – Jet

see below for photo credit

Pagan Blog Project - week 20 – J#2 – Jet

Jet (combined with amber) is a traditional witch’s stone. Stewart and Janet Farrar talk about this in their book, A Witches' Bible: The Complete Witches' Handbook, describing the combination as traditional for a High Priestess to wear as a necklace. I’m sure I’ve seen this description in other places as well.

Like amber, jet is a fossilized stone. While amber is fossilized and ancient tree sap and resin, jet is fossilized driftwood. Because of these ancient origins, one might be able to understand why these two stones pair so well together energetically.

This smooth, black stone is said to be good for filtering and grounding energy. It is said to protect and purify energy and auras, and also can be used to help cleanse other stones (though some say it needs to be cleansed after every use.) When confronted with negativity, jet helps the person understand and confront the challenging energies in a constructive and positive manner. It can be good to enhance clarity and helps people to learn lessons. This is especially useful to those who want to release negative habits. In addition to this, jet is said to be beneficial stone for empaths and to those who are healing from grief.

In these ways, I can see how jet would be a good stone for a High Priestess, who ritually, might be faced with an onslaught of energies all around her, and as a good High Priestess, it is her job to help control those energies. It is said to help manifest will and desire, which would be useful skills for a High Priestess to use during a ritual.

Interested in getting your own piece of jet? Check out my favorite crystal website! (Message me for a super special coupon code)

http://www.healingcrystals.com/Tumbled_Jet_-_Tumbled_Stones.html

Check out information about Amber here:

http://superduperspacewitch.blogspot.com/2014/01/pagan-blog-project-week-two-a2-amber.html

Additional information about jet:

http://meanings.crystalsandjewelry.com/jet/

for the pic of the lovely amber and jet beads
http://www.examiner.com/article/starwind-creations-at-the-shenandoah-midsummer-festival-middleton-va-from-june-25-27-2010