Lapis Lazuli: Stand in your truth

I’m so happy to share another one of nature’s treasures with you today. On this journey I am always learning an discovering. So please don’t take the things I’m sharing as ‘the only truth’, but rather as an exploration. I’m sharing from years of devotion to all the different aspects the minerals hold, to truly uncover their stories and what they have to offer us. And I hope by doing so, I can invite you to a new way of viewing the crystals and the world around us.

This week’s powerhouse is a rock consisting of multiple minerals, Lapis Lazuli! Which mainly is lazurite that gives it its deep indigo color, calcite which shows up as white streaks, sodalite which also is blue, and specks of pyrite that give it its shimmer and are a way to tell apart lapis and sodalite, but other minerals can also be present. The name comes from the Persian lahzward, meaning blue or sky, thanks to its captivating color. Now to explain why we call this a rock and not a mineral; a mineral is always just 1 component (mineral) and a rock consists of multiple minerals together.

Since 7000BC it’s been mined in the mountains in the Northeast of Afghanistan, where almost their entire economy consisted of the export of the crystal. To know why we can find this blue rock in Afghanistan, we have to go back about two billion years ago to a shallow part of the seafloor. Here, millions of bacteria produced lime as a byproduct, layer upon layer became limestone which formed the basis of the lapis rock we know today. This limestone deposit belongs to one of the oldest we know, plants and animals did not yet exist during its formation. Much later, through the collision of tectonic plates, this limestone was lifted and became part of the high mountains in Central Asia. After this long journey from the sea to the mountains, a period of volcanic activity began. When deep in the earth rock melted and magma rose, it eventually found its way through the cracks of the cool limestone. Potent chemical reactions took place in this collision, as the limestone dissolved and transformed into different minerals (which is called metamorphism), upon cooling down lazurite is formed, as well as pyrite, sodalite, apatite and many other minerals. In this mineral deposit, high in the Hindu Kush mountain, we can find Lapis Lazuli in large veins. Which has been peacefully resting there for millions of years, until humans discovered it, maybe as early as nine thousand years ago.

Now, this is not the end of Lapis’ journey. 4000 years BC, in the sar-i-sang mines men walked along steep mountain ranges, with strong wind and harsh snow, looking up at high mountain peaks and down at a raging river in the valley, trying to find the best lapis lazuli deposits. The pieces they found were later sent out to the ancient Silk Road to be transported, traded and processed in workshops along the route reaching as far as China, Europe, Africa, and Mesopotamia.

Lapis has captured many souls all over the globe. It is one of the precious stones mentioned numerous times in the bible, and it’s even said to be the stone on which God wrote the 10 commandments. With its pyrite specks glistening in the indigo stone, it symbolized the starry sky, inspiring high priests to use it in mystical ceremonies. The Sumerian goddess of love, Inanna, entered the underworld wearing a lapis lazuli necklace and rod.

Lapis as a pigment became popular in Europe, where its great painters used it as the highest quality ultramarine (which means ‘over the sea’, as that is where the rock came from). At one point it was more valuable than gold and exclusively used to paint holy Mary’s cloak. But also Vermeer’s girl with the pearl earring and Michelangelo’s frescos in the Sistine Chapel were made using this beautiful blue color.

But before, in ancient Egypt, Cleopatra has been said to use it as eyeshadow to see more clearly during important meetings, it adorned Tutankhamun’s funeral mask around the eyes and eyebrows, and judges wore emblems of Maat, the goddess of truth, that were carved from the stone.

And here, we actually already find some clues for its properties. Lapis lazuli strengthens paranormal abilities, it brings mental clarity and connects you to your inner wisdom. Which is also why we see it being used around the throat as necklaces and 3rd eye area as adornment or pigment. With its effect on the throat chakra, it helps in expressing your authentic truth and also your emotions or struggles. To me, it really has a bit of an ‘old wise person’ or teacher energy, and as a Sagittarius, energetically I feel it's on the same wavelength as this astrology sign too.

Recently I have connected with the crystal as I’ve been navigating my way through collaborations and cool projects. Every time I will send out an email with some kind of negotiation, I write it down in the way I normally would, with lots of ‘potentially’s’, ‘possibly’s’ and ‘maybe’s’. And I feel a bit silly saying this, but then I tune into the crystal and channel my inner ‘privileged white male’ and rewrite my email in a more powerful tone, bringing my message across and standing in my truth and worth. And what do you know? I’ve gotten everything I asked for!

Now there is something important that I still want to address about lapis lazuli. Since 2016 lapis lazuli was labeled a conflict mineral, just like diamond. What this means is that its known to fuel wars and human right abuse. Lapis lazuli specifically, is illegally mined and used to fund the Taliban, in 2016 they believed it earned them 20 million dollars per year. There are no current numbers because of the ongoing war that makes it hard to research this case. Now, lapis lazuli is also found at Lake Baikal, Pakistan, Iran, Chile, Italy and some other places. With especially the western countries being a potentially better source for this mineral. But it is very often hard to know, or intentionally mislabeled, which is why I would advise to refrain from buying this rock, unless you are absolutely sure of its origin.

Luckily, there are many ways to still connect to crystals without holding them physically. So if you feel drawn to work with lapis, I've shared a very short meditation that you can use as a blueprint and elaborate from in your personal practice in any way you’d like. If you want to use it for a different crystal, that is also possible. You can find all this information in spoken form including the meditation on ep. 25 of The Crystal Guardian podcast (click here)!

Thank you so much for being here crystal lover, I hope this crystal now holds a special place in your heart as we know and honor its story, beauty and strength.

I’m incredibly curious what your experience is with lapis lazuli, as it works differently for all of our unique energetic systems. Click here to send me a message on IG, I’m always keen to continue the conversation and deep dive together.

Is there a crystal you want me to dive into next? Let me know and see you for the next one!

Speak soon. X

 

P.s. Do you prefer to listen instead of read? You can also find this information in podcast form on ep. 25 of The Crystal Guardian podcast (click here)!


Black Obsidian: Sacred cord cutting

Named Itzli in ancient Mexican culture, for the god of stone, it seemed only appropriate to start these crystal archives off with this stone. Today's jet-black crystal isn’t technically a mineral, as it officially falls in the category of glass. Black obsidian is also called volcano’s glass because of the way it came into our world. It’s formed when a volcano erupts, and the lava cools down so quickly that it can’t form crystals. This can also happen when the lava suddenly comes into contact with water or air. Picture this; a glowing hot stream of lava erupts from the earth in an ice-cold place. It goes from one extreme to the other. You can imagine the energy this crystal carries as it goes through such an intense transformation.

The crystal holds properties such as forming a shield against negativity, and being deeply grounding as it forms a cord from the base chakra to the center of the earth. This, to me, is poetry. The crystal traveled in energy as lava all the way from the center of the earth, to meet us here at the surface. Reminding us of the connection to the earth’s core, but also to our own. As most black crystals, it absorbs negative energy and blocks psychic attacks (which to me sometimes seems a bit woo-woo, but it basically means that it protects you from people with bad intentions). It brings clarity, and takes you back into your ancestral lineage to heal old trauma. It’s reflective properties show shortcomings and blockages, it really provides the support to travel deep and heal the soul.

Historically the crystal has been used in ancient Mexican cultures, the Aztecs, for example, used the obsidian for scrying. You might know this spiritual practice from Wiccan culture too, where people use a black reflective surface as a divination tool to look into the future. In Mayan culture obsidian was even used as a currency, more valuable than gold. Next to this it was also used for artifacts, sculptures, beads, buildings and as arrow heads and axes that held magical properties as its fragments can have very sharp edges. Today it’s even still used in certain surgical tools.

When I was doing my crystal healer course with Mariah K Lyons, I learned that black obsidian hasn’t always been used in the most pure ways. It’s also been used by these ancient cultures in rituals and ceremonies with bad intentions, performing black magic. Now this energy is always carried within the over-arching energy of a crystal family. After learning this I always felt a bit of an aversion towards the crystal. Feeling like the energy was somehow tainted.

This is actually a really good transition into my own experience with this crystal; This past year I’ve done a lot of healing on some really old stuff I’ve been carrying with me. I’ve had some big family shifts, paired with many many family triggers. You know, the crème de la crème of triggers. There were many things that have happened in my past I’ve always felt I needed to heal from. That right now I was this lesser version of myself because I had experienced all these things... and everything I tried to heal in these areas, it never felt like it was fully 'healed'. There would always be the next layer. But as I’ve been learning, I’ve noticed a mindset shift within myself, that maybe all these things can be a part of me, and at the same time I can be this being of light. That the healing journey isn't one with an end station, so neither should we aim to reach that final state. The darkness and the lightness can coexist. Which I believe is the essence of shadow work. And as this shift happened within me, I also noticed my relationship with black obsidian started to heal. Accepting the darkness in her, too.

I actually use it quite a lot in my crystal practice nowadays. You can often find black obsidian in arrow head shape or in ‘chips’ with sharp edges. These I use for cord cutting rituals. To release any energy that isn’t mine I physically take the crystal and move it around my body, visualizing that any energetic lines that connect me to other people/events/places are cut with the sharp edge of the crystal. Their transformative and protective energy are the perfect ally in this practice. Doing this with others, I’ve often heard this practice is more effective than talking therapy sessions. This is why I love working with crystals so much. They make the intangible tangible. They have a way of making energetic processes physical, so our energetic and physical bodies are all on the same page and can be in harmony.

I’m incredibly curious what your experience is with black obsidian, as it works differently for every unique energetic system. Click here to send me a message on IG, I’m always keen to continue the conversation and deep dive together.

Is there a crystal you want me to dive into next? Let me know and see you for the next one!

Speak soon. X

 

P.s. Do you prefer to listen instead of read? You can also find this information in podcast form on ep. 23 of The Crystal Guardian podcast (click here)!


Which Claire are you?

Do you hear voices too? Feel feelings that are not yours? Know things you really couldn’t? These things happen to us when our intuition is clear. Clairvoyance is the act of perceiving things beyond the five senses, and we all have this ability.

Claire is French for clear, and she takes on many different forms. There are 7 different ways for us to perceive beyond our ordinary world. We all have at least one that is present within us, dormant or not, but very often we experience a mix of the Claire’s. Which ones do you recognize?

  1. Clairvoyance – clear sight
    When you see scenes, colors, textures, images, sights, or objects.
  1. Clairaudience – clear hearing
    When you hear sounds, words, sentences, music, or lyrics.
  1. Clairsentience – clear sensing
    When you feel sensations in your body like tingling, warmth, pressure or vibrations.
  1. Clairgustance – clear taste
    When you taste things such as sweet, sour, bitter, etc.
  1. Clairempathy – Clear emotions
    When you feel emotions in in your own experience or outside your body like anger, happiness, and peace.
  1. Clairalience – Clear scent
    When you can smell ordors and scents.
  1. Claircognizance – Clear knowing
    When you know from deep within certain truths or they suddenly appear in your consciousness.

I have always had claircognance present within me, knowing certain truths from deep within without being able to explain. One moment that I remember distinctly was when I first went to university, we were all assigned a mentor and from the first assembly I just knew who mine would be. However, when I received my schedule which read the assigned mentors mine said I had someone else. I felt very confused,  I just couldn’t believe it, because I knew that she was going to be my mentor! Later that day I walked into my mentor group's class room and it was her sitting there. Confused I said ‘I think I have the wrong room’, ‘Group 9?’ She asked. ‘Yes’. ‘Then come on in!’ She exclaimed. It was such a funny moment because I remember the distraught sensation when I thought my feelings were off. And then the relief when I found out it was just a mistake in the schedule. But I’ve also experienced moments that were not as light, seeing an image (clairvoyance) and knowing someone wouldn’t be with us anymore at a certain moment in time for example.

My most beautiful experience has been developing my clairaudience. This journey started when I first created my crystal grids. After creation I sat down to receive the message from the crystals. In the beginning this was more wisdom based, going off of the qualities I knew certain crystals had. But soon enough the crystals started speaking to me. Sentences and messages started coming through… I was channeling. Now, the messages come through faster than I can write, it has become like second nature to me. Easy enough, because this is our nature.

When you want to develop these different senses it is important to trust what comes through. Don’t wave anything away as nonsense, random or weird. Maybe even keep a book or note in your phone with the moments you sensed something so you don’t forget. When we start to honor these senses, and especially when we act on them it’s like a muscle getting stronger and stronger every time you use it. Create stillness for your intuition to come through and listen. If this is something that is hard for you know that just by reading about these things, something within you is activated, remembered. These abilities lie within you. Yes, you.

Have you ever experienced any of the Claire’s? If so, which ones? I’d love to know!

With love,
Caressa

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10 Ways to naturally balance your hormones

When I was studying health science at university 4 years ago I was diagnosed with PCOS. Luckily I was already aware of the negative side effects of hormonal treatments and decided to heal myself naturally. Next to the energetical work I also dove into the (science backed) things that I could adapt in my daily life to better support my hormonal system and live in more alignment with my inner nature. Here's what has worked for me!

10 Ways to naturally balance your hormones:

  1. Limit artificial (blue) light, try to use candles after sunset and limit any screen time. Melatonin (our sleep hormone) is produced when it gets dark and this causes us to fall asleep more easily. And as our hormonal system has a delicate balance, when our melatonin levels return to their natural balance, this will have a positive effect on our whole endocrine system.
  2. Use natural skincare and make-up. A lot of regular skin care and makeup contain endocrine (hormonal) disruptors, the skin is our largest organ which absorbs all these chemicals into your system. (This includes hand sanitizers!)
  3. Eat organic when you can. Non-organic foods have been treated with pesticides which can disrupt your hormonal balance by acting like estrogen among many other things. Preferred organic products are foods that you don’t have to peel or take the skin off of.
  4. If you do eat meat or eggs, eat organic. When these animals are not fed organically they get a diet of growth hormones, antibiotics and genetically modified foods that will have it’s take on your hormonal system.
  5. Use (high quality) essential oils. I use essential oils like frankincense and clary sage to balance my hormones. These oils and others that support your cycle health are also in my Intuition blend.
  6. Reduce stress, make self-care part of your life. Stress is one of the biggest hormonal disruptors, so make it your top priority to integrate moments of relaxation and peace into your daily life (in however way this may look for you). Also – coffee is stress. So be mindful with your intake.
  7. Raw cacao every day! This one is my favorite. I start every day with a cup of cacao instead of coffee. Cacao is the biggest natural source of magnesium which acts as a relaxant. Cacao is also known to have a good effect on the endocrine system.
  8. Connect with your womb. Energy is real and when there is trauma/stress stored in your womb this will have an effect on your system. If you have a history of thinking negatively about your womb, cycle and hormones try sending more love and awareness to these areas. Trust in your body’s ability to heal itself. Land in the knowing that your body giving you signals/symptoms is actually your body working the way that it should. Treat them as such.
  9. Find alternatives to hormonal birth control (especially if you are using it to numb your symptoms). We use a combination of condoms and the diaphragm.
  10. Embrace the feminine. Identify if you are suppressing your feminine energy (intuition, receiving, creativity, flowing, softening) and are more present in your masculine energy (studying, doing, working out, achieving, giving), if so, balance these two and embrace the feminine side of you!

Don't lose yourself in the land of supplements and wonder pills. Connect with your womb, your body, and listen. You always know what is best for you.

With love,
Caressa

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Exercises to protect your energy

How to not leave Ikea feeling drained

Whether you are an empath or not, we all have felt drained after meeting that one friend, going into the city center, or going on that dreaded Ikea visit. Especially when you feel a lot – and so many of us do. Now luckily there are ways to protect our own energy. So we don’t take on other peoples negative energies or the dense energy that can occupy certain places. I’ll explain to you how I do it and give you a bunch of other examples, because everyone is different. It’s really about finding what works for you. So have fun with it, try a few out! The more you do these things the more they become automatic. And when these practices are something you do automatically, that’s when it really starts working! Because then it becomes something you do preventative instead of noticing your energy is being drained, and then doing the exercise. Which is basically like starting with a score of 0-1. To me my energy protection practice has made a huge difference in my life. I can now walk through Ikea without being floored for the rest of the day, and also hold space for friends who are facing difficult times without it completely draining myself which makes me a better friend in return.

How I protect my energy

  • I place myself in a golden bubble, making sure it’s reaching all around me.
  • Then I bring my awareness to my heart center and feel the energy that’s there.
  • I expand this energy that looks like golden light out, until it reaches the edges of my bubble. As the light expands any energies that aren’t mine (they look like black splotches to me) disintegrate and dissolve in my golden light.
  • Now I stand strong within my own energy and nothing else can enter this space.

Other exercises that can have the same effect are

  • Imagine having huge wings that you can wrap around yourself
  • Place an imaginary ‘screen’ between you and another person that stops the energy from latching onto you
  • Envision being surrounded by your spirit guards or guardian angels who are keeping the energies out
  • Place yourself in a big egg that keeps any negative energy from entering
  • Envision your feet being rooted in nature and everything that isn’t yours being absorbed by the earth

These are just a couple of examples. The point really is to find a way that works for you. So maybe you combine my ‘heart expanding energy’-thing with the ‘wing wrapping’-thing, it doesn’t really matter. There is no right or wrong way here, there is only your way. The trick is to keep trying until something clicks for you.

A mantra I use that also helps me greatly is ‘not mine not mine not mine’. When I can sense heavy energies and I have my golden bubble all set up, I repeat this mantra to remind my system that this is not my energy.

When you are interacting with someone else who is carrying a very heavy energy but you still want to connect with them there is an amazing exercise I do which expands from the golden bubble.

  • I picture myself in a void, where I have my golden bubble all set up (as explained before).
  • I envision the other person across from me and give them their own golden bubble (with the light expanding from the heart).
  • Then a golden cord moves up from the crown of their head and reaches the higher self of that person (an entity of light).
  • I ask the higher self if I can make contact with them and await their answer.
  • If it’s a yes (it usually is), I envision a golden beam of light coming from my heart centre.
  • Another golden beam of light is coming from the higher self of that person.
  • The golden light beams connect and through this beam you can send the other person love, hugs, energy, messages, anything.
  • When you leave evision the lightbeams contracting back to you and the higher self of the other person to disconnect again.

In this way you honor the other person by meeting them in their purest form and being able to see them for the light being they really are. It also helps you to not carry their heaviness with you and gives you a very solid moment of connecting and then after that disconnecting.

What are your favorite ways to protect your energy? I'd love to hear!

With love,
Caressa

 

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Am I really a woman?

I was standing in the train station as my world shattered. ‘You can have children.’ I heard the doctor say. ‘When you want to get pregnant you can skip the waitlist at the hospital and straight away start hormone treatments.’ She continued, not realizing the effect her words were having on me. And the inappropriateness of telling me this as I stood there waiting for my train to arrive. She kept saying practical things and how I could just go on the pill and I would barely even notice any effects of PCOS on my body but my mind was somewhere else in that moment. As we hung up I started panicking, the whole train ride home all these fears crossed my mind ‘I can’t go on the pill, I’ll get depressed again’, ‘will I get cervical cancer (one of the risks my doctor briefly mentioned)’, ‘will I ever be able to get pregnant naturally’, ‘what if these dark hairs on my chin will turn into a full on goatee’, and so on, and so on, and so on. Luckily at the time me and Alessandro had been dating for a couple of months - it was still very early in our relationship, really. And when I called him he immediately brought me back to myself; he told me about the beautiful babies we would have one day, what a great mother I would become and that I would be able to get through this. I was diagnosed with PCOS, which comes in many forms but for me it means I have too high levels of testosterone (the male hormone), which causes for me to not reach ovulation regularly and have very few menstruations. And with few ovulations come smaller chances of getting pregnant of course and a higher risk of getting cervical cancer as you don’t have the monthly ‘cleanse’. Next to these big things a lot of small not so nice inconveniences arise like hormonal acne, darker hair growth and a decrease of libido. They discovered this through an ultrasound when I got off the pill (because it made me depressed) and got a copper IUD put in.

With all the yoga, self-work and healing I had done, man, it was still so hard for me to hear this message. Of course when you hear you can’t -naturally- get pregnant as a woman your fears pop up and make you think that maybe, just maybe, you are then not worthy of being a woman. But luckily I knew the negative side effects that the pill would have on me if I continued taking it, not targeting the root of my issue, but rather serving as a band aid that would hold my gaping, blood gushing wound together. And, luckily I knew that my body has immense self-healing properties. Especially around the area of the womb, which is so infinitely connected to our emotions, traumas and past hurts. Usually more so than actual physiological issues.

So here I stood; raw, scared, but I gathered all my courage and I started my journey of naturally healing my womb. And this isn’t a story about how I magically healed myself as I floated away on a cloud to nirvana. No. This is a story of looking within, going to the pain, to my trauma’s. And then through that experiencing immense differences in the frequency of my cycles. I’ve had periods of regular cycles for months and months after a big energetical release where my gynecologist even said that I was ‘magically’ cured. But as life is like a river that keeps on flowing, I also get invited again and again by the universe to dive deeper in my lessons, to heal, more. So my cycle stops flowing, telling me I’m moving too fast, too much. Whenever this happens I hold space for my body, listen to what it has to tell me, and I act. I honor myself. Again and again. Over the years I have gained this huge toolbox of what has helped me heal and flow, and I’m ready to share this with who feels they need it too. I’m ready to hold this space of healing for other beautiful women, because if I’ve learned one thing it is that so many of us are walking around with these issues. Maybe yours looks very different from mine, but we all hold these things in our wombs that want to come to the light. And I’ve noticed the immensely healing effect it has on me when I just hear other women sharing their stories. I am not alone. You are not alone. We are not alone. Together we heal, together we rise.

Are you feeling the calling? Our 3-month journey to womb healing: CRYSTALS + RITUALS is starting October 1st on the full harvest moon. Learn more here.

 

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Arogonite crystal

6 Crystals to support us through these times

Let’s not use the C-word in this article, shall we? ;) I think we can agree that most of us have had their realities change one way or another recently. Maybe you’re feeling anxious, or hopeless (totally normal!), or you’re looking for a way to support your immune system a little bit more, or maybe even a holistic way to assist the self-healing properties of your body. If one or more of these things are resonating for you; come and dive into the world of crystal healing with me! Crystals can be great tools to support our energetic field, resulting in healing our emotional and physical bodies. I’ve divided these crystals up into two groups, one group of crystals that help support our emotional wellbeing, aiding in times of overwhelm, fear and worries. The other group of crystals is more about the physical body, helping out the immune- and respiratory system. Let’s have a look!

 

 

Crystals for emotional wellbeing

 

Aragonite – Sense of peace

Aragonite helps us slow down when things are getting too much. This is a great crystal in helping you reduce the feeling of overwhelm and stress. Especially when there’s been a sudden growth or change, it brings the situation back to a balanced state. It’s calming when tensions arise and brings about inner peace.

 

Red Jasper – Grounding

A very grounding crystal, helps to drop back into the body when the mind is taking over. It balances mind, body and soul. Red Jasper also reminds you of your inner strength and helps you become more persistent and resilient. Ready to take on whatever life throws at you.

Amazonite – Getting back up

Sometimes life takes us by surprise  and this crystal will support you in getting back on your feet. When things are feeling like there is no way out, it reminds you of your abilities and gives you the assurance that you can get back up. Amazonite brings balance and harmony and protects us from overstimulation. It is an amazing crystal for highly sensitive people and children. It helps reduce feelings of fear, anger and sadness.

 

Crystals to support the body

 

Apophyllite – Healing the respiratory system

A crystal that is really good at conducting energy, making it perfect for energy healing. This crystal has a positive effect on the respiratory system (lungs) and the mucous membranes. Next to these physical effects, it is also a calming crystal, reducing feelings of stress, fear and insecurity.

Turquoise – Supporting the immune system

A very healing, cleansing and protecting crystal for the body. Physically it supports the immune system and has antiviral properties. Next to that it brings about inner peace, but is also vitalizing in periods of exhaustion. It helps you get out of the role of the victim and take responsibility for your own happiness.

Unakite  - Self-healing

This crystal stimulates the self-healing properties of the body, supporting in a good recovery after being ill. You are the most powerful being in your own healing journey, and Unakite reminds you of just this. It also is a very grounding and calming crystal.

I truly hope these crystals can bring you some comfort. Carry them with you in your pocket or place them somewhere near you throughout your day. Whenever you need their support you can grab your crystal and let its energy permeate your hand. As you breathe in, carrying this energy deeper and deeper within your body until it has reached every single cell.

 

With love,
Caressa

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Your cheat sheet to crystal healing

The world of crystals can be overwhelming -I’ve been there-, there are so many beautiful pieces out there, but how do you know which ones to work with? What helped me understand crystals better was when I started looking into how they relate to the chakras. This helps put them in bigger overlaying themes, which in turn makes it easier for you to know which crystal to turn to in times of need!

Chakra’s are energy centers in the body, they represent different emotional healing themes that you can work with. Each chakra has their own color, this color is the greatest tool we can use when working with crystals. Let’s take the first chakra as an example! The emotional healing theme (grounding) is the same for the red (base) chakra and most red crystals, so this gives us a good indication of what kind of energy a crystal carries. Of course this isn’t true in all cases, but when we just start working with crystals this is the foundation we can build and learn from.

 

Home within

 

Muladhara – The base chakra

The first chakra is red and located at the base of the spine. This chakra is most present during the first 7 years of your life. This chakra is the base of your system, grounding you into the earth. Its themes are stability, trust, security, feeling at home within yourself, grounding and life force or vitality.

Corresponding crystals

The main colors associated with this chakra and these themes are red, brown and black.

Such as: Red jasper, agate, smoky quartz, hematite, black tourmaline, onyx, garnet, petrified wood, obsidian and ruby.

 

 

Svadhistana – The sacral chakra

The second chakra is orange and located at the center of your lower belly. You move through this chakra from age 8 till 14. This is the center of creativity and pleasure and this chakra is connected to the element water. Themes for the sacral chakra are fertility, sensuality, creative expression, pleasure, intuition and feeling connected to the moon.

Corresponding crystals

The crystal color for this chakra is orange.

Such as: Moonstone, carnelian, orange calcite and coral.

 

 

Manipura – The solar plexus chakra

Our third chakra is yellow and sits right above the navel in the upper part of your belly. From 15 until we are 21 is when we move through its energy. Connected to the element fire, this is our powerhouse and from where we let ourselves shine. Themes for this chakra are willpower, expansion, self-esteem, sharing your gifts with the world, joy, optimism, self-worth and energy.

Corresponding crystals

Look for yellow or gold crystals when working with these themes.

Such as: Citrine, gold, tiger’s eye, gold topaz, amber and yellow aventurine.

 

 

Anahata – The heart chakra

This fourth chakra is green and is located in our heart center. When we are 22 until the age of 28 is when we move through this chakra. This chakra governs all matters of the heart. It also connects the lower three chakra’s (body and emotions) to the three higher ones (mind and spirit), transforming and integrating their lessons into higher vibrations. This chakra vibrates with love for all that is, including yourself. Its themes are love, self-acceptance, self-love, relationships, empathy, acceptance and openness.

Corresponding crystals

The color green and pink represent the themes of the heart chakra.

Such as: Jade, rose quartz, rhodochrosite, kunzite, aventurine, peridot, green or pink tourmaline, rhodonite, emerald and moss agate.

 

 

Vishuddi – The throat chakra

The fifth chakra is blue and located in our throat. We move through its energy from age 29 to 35. It is from where we communicate with others and speak our truth. It is from where we create consciously (as opposed to the intuitive creation of the second chakra). The themes are communication, understanding, calmness, clarity, self-expression, truth and independence.

Corresponding crystals

Light blue colored crystals (and some darker blue ones) are connected to the themes of the throat chakra.

Such as: Aquamarine, blue chalcedony, celestine, blue lace agate, lapis lazuli, turquoise and blue calcite.

 

 

Ajna – The third eye chakra

Your sixth chakra is indigo colored (royal blue) and located behind the space in between the eyebrows. At age 36 until 42 we move through the energies connected to this chakra. Our inner wisdom comes from this energy center. Its themes are insight, intuition, spiritual awakening, imagination and connection to the spiritual world.

Corresponding crystals

Crystals with a dark blue color and some purple crystals are connected to the third eye chakra.

Such as: Lapiz lazuli, purple fluorite, amethyst, sodalite, blue or indigo sapphire, azurite and blue apatite.

 

Sahasrara – The crown chakra

The seventh and final chakra is violet colored and is located at the top of the head. We energetically move through this chakra when we are 43 to 49 years old. This is where we are one with all. All the energies of the chakra’s move up the spine and culminate here, resulting in spiritual awakening. The themes of this chakra are awareness, higher consciousness, connectedness to all, deep wisdom, divine connection, purification, magic, mystery and freedom.

Corresponding crystals

All purple, white or colorless crystals work on the crown chakra.

Such as: Amethyst, clear quartz, herkimer diamond, apophyllite, selenite, lepidolite, white agate and petalite.

So when there are certain themes coming up in your life, you can always return to this cheat sheet and easily see what crystals will be a sure hit to work with. The more you start to work with your crystals, the more you’ll dive into its subtleties, let this process flow naturally.  See this information as a rock-solid (yes, I made a punny) foundation to play and learn from. Have fun exploring!

With love,
Caressa

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Creating your sacred home altar

A home altar, a sacred space to connect within, can be such an important addition to your home. It’s a place where you can honor those who are important to you, whisper an intention into the world at the start of your day or perform a sacred ritual.

 

My personal home altar is this old desk my mother used to do her homework on when she was little. The crystal wand I made myself from a stick I found in my garden in Australia (back when I called this place home), there is one crystal for every chakra and the tip is made of herkimer diamond.

 

Your altar can be anywhere, but preferably in a place you often find yourself, serving as a reminder to find connection throughout your day. You can set up your altar on a cabinet, a table, a little stool or even in your windowsill. Really, do not let lack of a place to set up hold you back and just begin with what you have in your house right now. Of course you can use any material you feel intuitively drawn to, but you can keep your zodiac sign in mind when creating your altar as well. If you are born under a fire (Aries, Leo or Sagittarius) or earth (Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo) element, an altar created from wood connects you to your element. Water (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) and Air (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius) elements can use any kind of cloth, a purple cloth, for instance, is used for spiritual fulfillment.

 

The four elements represented on my altar; an acorn for earth, a candle for fire, a feather for air and a seashell for water.

By having the four elements present on your altar you call in all energies of the earth, creating a balanced space.

Water - For movement, intuition, and fertility. Represented by water in a bowl or a seashell.

Fire - For passion, life-force, and transformation. Represented by candles, charcoal or incense.

Earth - For grounding, steadiness, and rest. Represented by sand, salt, an acorn, pine, stone, wood or flowers.

Air - For spirituality, freedom, and communication. Represented by feathers, incense or a burning candle

 

My altar has a lot of feathers, representing the element air, as this is my missing element in my natal chart (in astrology).

 

A Thai Buddhist amulet, or votive tablet, hangs from my altar.

 

There are many symbolic items you can have present on your altar. Think of a picture of a loved one, a souvenir from your travels, family jewelry or inspiring artworks. Anything that brings meaning to your life can be present on your altar, anything representing something you want to keep a connection to.

 

A rosequartz crystal grid sits at the foundation of my altar, inviting in unconditional love.

 

Some common symbolic items:

Feathers – These gifts from the sky will entice angels to come visit us, invoking angelic energy. They can also represent the spiritual meaning of the bird they originated from.

Ganesha – Symbolises wisdom and protection of travelers.

A bowl of water – Helps you move through difficult emotions

Crystals – In whatever flavor you’d like, there’s one for every need.

A bowl of basil – Supports fertility when you’re looking to get pregnant.

Hamsa hand – For protection

Candles – you can write down a wish or intention on the side of a candle and let it burn, with the flames traveling up into the ether ready to be received by the universe. A candle can also be used to commemorate someone you’ve lost, bringing strength and support. It is possible to use coloured candles to represent specific themes. Pink, for instance, is for love, green for wealth, and silver for pregnancy and motherhood. A white candle is neutral and always a good choice, representing purity and peace.

 

The prayer statue in the middle is filled with little gemstones I received from a palmreader in Australia, to protect me on my travels. The celestine sphere at the top helps connect to the divine realms and it is surrounded by little buddha figurines I received as gifts over the years (as you are always only supposed to be gifted buddhas).

 

Always remember that the power of an altar doesn’t lie in its symbols, it’s rather the intention you bring to it, the intention you carry forth from your heart. Your altar is a place you can come to every day, bringing mindfulness into your life. Don’t get stuck in the precise symbolic meaning of every little thing, and just let it be a space where you can come to connect within.

Enjoy creating this sacred space in your home! And don’t forget to share your results with me, I’d love to check them out!

With love,
Caressa

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On fear and living in flow with life

How do you know you are walking your path?

Our bodies are incredibly smart and are not afraid to tell us when we are not walking our path. When you are going in the wrong direction in life your system will do it’s very best to let you know. You fall and stumble, generally just being very clumsy. You hurt yourself, get an injury. You feel tired all the time, get sick or maybe even find yourself in a burnout all of a sudden. When these things happen it is best to thank our bodies. Thank you, thank you, thank you. For being wise, for showing me the way, for taking care of me when I couldn’t. It is in this surrender, that things will start to soften.

 

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When we are walking our path you’ll notice being in a state of flow. Of course you put effort and energy in the things you’re creating, but it gives you energy in return as well. There will be ‘coincidences’ happening all the time (there are no coincidences), it’ll seem like life just comes easy to you. Amazing opportunities will arise and you’ll meet just the right people, at just the right time. This is the universe collaborating with you, this is the expression of the divine through you. The whole world is a happier place when you choose to express your gifts, and it’ll do its very best to support you when you do.

But how do you get from one to the other?

A question I have pondered a lot, and I don’t have the one answer for you here. All I can offer you is my experience within this journey. What I have found is that finding your path, your passion, your life’s mission, starts with curiosity. Chasing the things that make your heart jump from happiness, as that’s where your magic lies. Look at the things you loved to do as a kid (but maybe was told it’s not good enough, pretty enough, sensible enough). Heck, for all I know you loved building treehouses and your heart is asking you to please do this forever and ever. Follow this. Trust it. And if you were ever waiting for someone’s permission to do so, here you have it. I give you permission to follow your heart. We weren’t put on this earth to suffer, we were made to have fun. We are allowed to enjoy the things we do. So let’s!

 

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When you know your thing, and usually deep down you already know - Yes! The thing that popped in your mind just now! -, it takes courage to choose this path. Having the courage to really choose ourselves and our own happiness (and trusting that the universe collaborates when you do). It takes looking your deepest fears in the eyes, saying: ‘I see you. I acknowledge you. You are allowed to be here. But I’m gonna do this anyway.’ Because when you start to walk your path, everything else will fall into place. And the moment you make this decision (and really put it into action) you’ll see that so many of your fears will fade away. Our minds can make things much bigger than they ever really will be, trust me, I’ve been in this exact place. And for me, making this decision was the best thing I could’ve ever done.

We are all lovingly waiting for your gifts to be expressed. The world is meant to exist with them in it.

Trust. Trust. Trust.

I believe in you,
Caressa

p.s. Know that you are allowed to evolve, your path can twist and turn as your heart flutters from one love into another. Always tune in to the truth of this moment. What has worked at one point may not work anymore, and that is okay. What is working now? What brings you joy right now?

 

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