It was just a matter of time before I got around to embracing crystals. In fact, it may not be so much discovering them as returning to a minor passion of my youth, when gems and semi-precious stones caught my fancy. Back then, it was a science class where were examined the various minerals and rocks that introduced me to this world. I was obsessed with the way calcite broke into neat, uniform parallelograms, and how writing would be doubled when viewed through a thin-enough piece of it. I was transfixed with the gleam and sparkle of pyrite, happily fooling myself into trusting its golden show. I dug in the woods behind our home and found the smallest bit of rock that contained a bit of mica – shiny and flaking off in thin sheets. And I was enthralled with the tale of how a friend had found a perfectly-formed quartz crystal in his backyard, then brought it into class to show everyone. That such beautiful objects also held some sort of power was simply too good to feel true. I stopped short of the New Age worship that some crystal-lovers practiced, because I wasn’t quite ready to put all my faith in crystals.
I’m still not. My brain is too wary of such magic. Part of me understands on a fact-based level that a piece of stone has no literal power to sway my life in any way. But this isn’t about the literal. This is about the power one imbues to a talisman or object that gives it a different life, and in return it inspires or changes something in you. That can be quite literal. Sometimes belief begets transformation. I’ve done this many times – every time I walk into work for example – and it can be a powerful way of getting to where you want to be.
The stones that make up this bracelet (found at Tushita Heaven in Saratoga – a wondrous shop that you should definitely visit) are Bloodstone, said to aid in Personal Healing: “It stimulates the immune system, builds courage and raises self-esteem, teaching that all is at it should be. Bloodstone transmutes negative memories into positive actions, working gently as it cleanses and purifies. Bloodstone makes us aware that adverse conditions in our lives are often illusions.”
That sounds about perfect for what I need. What we all need. I feel better already.
