Happily, stones marshal their forces to bring us vibratory relief from symptoms of anxiety, anger, and depression, and offer resources to increase joy, serenity, comfort, and happiness. Leaders of the stone pack empowering humans to receive the support they need during the dark passage of winter are amethyst, laurium aragonite, dioptase, carnelian, lapis lazuli, petalite, sardonyx, and lavender aventurine. Amethyst, carnelian, sardonyx, and lavender aventurine, all quartz-based stones, emit the most accessible energies for the broadest range of people. Wearing them in combination — purple and orange — enhances bridging meditative states of calm into daily life. Purple and orange are the two sacred colors of many East Indian traditions. Laurium aragonite receives its dusting of light blue color from copper, and dioptase is a copper silicate. Laurium is a rare commodity from Greece, so it is difficult to obtain, but when available, its energies are so easily absorbed by the body that it is worth the effort of finding it. Dioptase is a more accessible mineral, but still rather rare. It is somewhat fragile, so it is best used as an environmental piece, especially in places where exposure time is significant, such as the bedroom. Lapis lazuli has a complex chemical structure that makes it an excellent choice for high-powered, active, complex people who suffer from anxiety and crash and burn in order to obtain rest. Lapis, worn consistently enough, supplies calming frequencies that are simultaneously strong and enduring. A personality that is afraid to rest gains excellent support to spend time with itself. Petalite, a lithium aluminum silicate, dispels anxiety and reduces depression, especially for empathic people with sensitive nervous systems. Petalite is a strong mineral, so it can be continuously worn in jewelry. It provides the unique quality in this list of associates of instilling light in metered amounts. It responds to the openness of the individual by infusing the being with just the amount of information (light) that can be absorbed at the time. It prompts continuous growth in awareness. Not to be left out this important list of happy mineral friends are, first in the green spectrum, green calcite, green heliodor, chrome diopside, emerald, azurite/malachite, gaspeite, peridot, chrysolite, green kyanite, and green uvite (tourmaline). In the blue or blue-green range, look for amazonite, chrysocolla, cavansite, blue jade, ocean picture stone, turquoise, and cookeite. Pink minerals that increase comfort and reduce anxiety include pink grossular garnet and manganocalcite. Yellow minerals reducing symptoms of depression include septarian nodule, golden apatite, and lemon chrysoprase. Clear stones that emit vibrations of serenity and comfort include diamontina quartz, danburite, and Pleiadean quartz. Rounding out this list of minerals are platinum, schorl (black tourmaline), lithium, and halite (rock salt). Schorl is an all-around great mineral to wear, use in healings, and place in work and sleeping spaces. Jessica Fredsall calls the combination of schorl and amethyst "the latest in feminine protection." Schorl draws white light all the way through the body to the base chakra, and it draws impurities like halite or fluorite. It is powerfully grounding, and imparts clear signals of safety and serenity to the nervous system. Halite is an important tool to remember you can use for physical, moral, and spiritual evolution. It has been so highly prized by past cultures that it was more valuable than metals in trade and commerce. It was recognized by the Hebrews as a symbol of spiritual discernment, and will always be useful for cleansing and healing practices. It is especially useful in dispelling anxiety, a symptom of clinical depression. Perhaps one reason salt is so overused in food preservation and preparation is that we hunger for the attributes that salt contains. If the pleasure of eating a little feels good, then more and more must be really good. Salt is one of the few minerals humans need to eat, and addiction to it is a definite problem in modern times. This addiction, including other food disorders, can be relieved by utilizing rock salt or halite as an environmental specimen. The simple pleasures of light and joy are what this month’s minerals bring to the planet. May you find enough of each to fill your hearts, bodies, minds, and souls in the quiet time of winter. The March column will discuss the minerals of love, just in time for spring! Collen Marquist is the co-author, with Jack Frasl, of Crystalline Communion 2000. This book combines and updates three earlier volumes of Crystalline Communion. She can be reached for Reiki attunements and crystal healing sessions at (425) 820-0244 or <earthlight@w-link.net>. |
January, following the extravaganza of light during the holidays, can be life-threatening to people who suffer from seasonal affective disorder, abbreviated SAD. The slow return of the sun coupled with the dark, endless days of inclement weather typical for our region of the world provides the conditions for depression and other mood disorders to act out and dampen the ability to feel pleasure.