Taking the Waters—a Releasing Ritual

Sarasvati is a Hindu goddess of the arts, and originally a river goddess. She is invoked by individuals seeking to improve the flow of their creativity and self-transformation.

A bath blessing that will both relax and purify you is a rare and wonderful thing. To prepare yourself, place 1 quart of rough sea salt or Epsom salts in a large bowl. Add the juice from 6 freshly squeezed lemons, 1⁄2 cup of sesame oil, and a few drops of rose and jasmine oils. Stir until the mixture is completely moistened. You can add more sesame oil if necessary, but do not add more lemon because it will make the mixture overly astringent and potentially irritating to your skin.

When your tub is one-third full, add one-quarter of the salt mixture under the faucet. Breathe in deeply ten times, inhaling and exhaling fully before you do this recitation. You may start to feel a tingling at the crown of your head. The water should still be running when you proclaim:

Sarasvati, O Harmonious One,
Goddess and mistress, I ask your guidance.
Remove from me any impurities
Of heart, spirit, and mind. I open myself to you.
My wish is to once again become whole,
Free of pain, sadness, and all that is better in me.

When the tub is full, it is time to step inside and breathe deeply ten more times. Repeat the prayer to Sarasvati, and use the rest of the salt to gently massage your body. Rest and rejuvenate as long as you like, allowing yourself to feel refreshed and renewed by the ministrations of this Hindu goddess of harmony and artistry from whom eloquence, inspiration, and blessings flow. 

Peace of Mind: A Happy Home Altar

On a low table or chest of your choosing, place a forest green scarf and a brown candle to represent your family. Add lovely objects that you have found around your home and garden: a special fallen leaf, ocean-carved driftwood, lacey dried lichen, smooth stones, or whatever your heart desires. It is of utmost importance to add a bouquet of wildflowers native to your area that you have gathered close to your home or purchased locally. This bouquet will help integrate your home into your neighborhood and the geographic area in which you live. If possible, add a sweetly scented sachet of potpourri made from your home kitchen garden. Add personal mementos like photos or a locket with a photo of your spouse and children. Burn your favorite essential oils, the ones that create an aura of instant comfort for you, such as vanilla, cinnamon, or sweet orange neroli in an oil lamp. Finally, anoint the brown candle while concentrating on peace and bliss surrounding your home. Chant:

Here burns happiness about me.
Peace and harmony are in abundance,
And here true bliss surrounds.
From now on, disharmony is gone.
This is a home of peace and blessings.
Here sheer joy lives.

This consecrated space will ease your spirits at any time. Your altar connects you to the earth of which you are a part. 

Cords of Connection

Cord magic is one of the oldest kids of enchantments and employs a simply and powerful charm in that it can  be used for any purpose in accordance with your intention. After you have set your intention, you tie a knot at each end and the cord is like a battery that holds the power of your intention as long as the knots at both end remind intact. Your magic cord is a rope that binds magic to your and is ideally made from strands of red wool or ribbon. It should be 9 feet long and cut with your bolline,  it is braided and tied into a loop at one end to represent feminine energy and left loose or frayed at the opposing end to signify the complementary male energy. Crystal beads woven onto the strands of the rope can compound its magical quality. I recommend that you use clear quartz crystal beads, which are energy amplifiers, but you can use special stones for various effects: rose quartz for self love, citrine for grounding, jade for stability , blue lapis for inspiration, malachite for protection, moonstone for quiet calm and amethyst for intuition and psychic ability.

I have an adorned cord in my bedroom on my self-care shrine that helped relieve a bout of insomnia some months ago. As I added rose quarts and amethyst beds to the red cord, I held the intention of deep rest,  positive dreams and harmony in my life. Upon knotting both ends, I have enjoyed exactly that and so can you. 

How We Lost Our Connection to Nature and How We Can Get It Back

On woodland walks, my Aunt Edie pointed out nettles, wild mint, Queen Anne’s Lace, and other herbs which grew by creek beds near my home. We picked, steeped, and sipped concoctions we made together as she imparted her homely wisdom. Little did I know at the time I was being gently schooled as an apprentice kitchen witch. Lately, I have been called upon to craft spells for peace of mind; so many of us are overwhelmed due to the fragmented lifestyles requiring long hours at work, zillions of emails, texts, tweets, and all the demands that don’t stop coming.

How often do you see a panicky pagan or stressed out herbalist? Rarely, I assure you.

We all have to keep pace with the modern world, but our connection to the earth and the cycles of nature help maintain balance and harmony, despite the hurly-burly of these tech-driven times. This chapter is aimed at conjuring wellness so you can stay centered, grounded, and healthy. When our grandmothers and elders who came before us tended cuts, bruises, colds, flus, fevers, and other illnesses their family suffered, they didn’t have a corner drugstore. Instead, these wise women relied on simple wisdom, common sense, and pantries well-stocked with herbal remedies. These preparations were made from plants that grew in the kitchen garden or wild weeds gathered in the fields and woods surrounding their homes. This stash of kitchen cupboard cures combines the wisdom of our elders with a modern sensibility. Yes, you will save money, but more importantly, you will begin to learn what works for you and master the art of self-care as you bring much comfort to your loved ones.

Tourmaline

Tourmaline is purity and positivity. It is a powerful crystal of great immediacy, quickly redirecting the energy of the mind and body. Tourmaline fights fearfulness and eliminates long-held wounds from the past, leaving you renewed and with far greater clarity. Whatever is weighing you down will soon be gone; your emotional baggage will be unpacked and lightened. Tourmaline is regarded as one of the best all-around healers. It is one of the most effective stones to use in overcoming a crisis or trauma and the accompanying pain. It relieves and releases sorrow and replaces it with joy. Tourmaline is also grounding, giving perspective regarding the very meaning of life.

The name apparently comes from the Sinhalese word turamali, the former name for “gems” in Sri Lanka. Tourmaline is found all over the world and comes in many colors, each one with distinctive properties.

* Blue tourmaline, known as indicolite, is highly sought after. This stone relates to the upper torso and is healing for the brain, the pulmonary system, and the immune system. As with many blue crystals, tourmaline is superb for spiritual growth. It is a visionary stone and opens the third eye, giving way to psychism. This crystal enables you to see how you can serve humanity with higher mind awareness.

* Green tourmaline, properly called chrome, is said to be the most powerful of all the tourmalines, and a great many healers believe it is the most powerful of all crystals! Green tourmaline is healing to the eyes and heart and helps with weight loss. Anyone who suffers from chronic fatigue should try tourmaline. This stone also abets the study of herbalism. This crystal is a problem solver. This is a complete balancer, touching upon each chakra as well as rejuvenating the brain, the nervous system, and the immune system. Green tourmaline is a creativity crystal and lends enormous energy and impetus so you can strive for your best work and art. Green tourmaline turns thoughts into actions, facilitating follow-through and helping you overcome any obstacle in your path. This is a confidence crystal, giving you greater compassion, inspiration, prosperity, and tolerance for others.

* Purple tourmaline is a stone of devotion. Lending the highest spiritual aspirations, this crystal works by connecting the root and heart chakras. It greatly enables the ability to love unconditionally and creatively. Purple tourmaline is a heart healer.

* Black tourmaline wards off negative energy and does not absorb it as most other black crystals do. If you sense that bad energy is being directed at you specifically and malevolently, black tourmaline will repel this psychic attack. Psychic vampires are also a problem, though they might be unconscious of it, but this crystal will keep them away and prevent them from draining you of energy. Black tourmaline is a guardian stone; keep it with you during times of stress. When held in the hand, black tourmaline relieves the symptoms of allergies within ten minutes. I would go so far as to suggest you keep it with you in your home, on your altar, and at your place of work, as it will make your personal space safe. This crystal shields against disease and strengthens the body. If nightmares or insomnia are any kind of issue, turn to tourmaline.

* Pink to Red tourmaline, called rubellite, is very soothing. This pretty crystal is an excellent one to use in a relationship that needs adjustment because it heals hurt and lends mutual understanding. Pink tourmaline can aid in overcoming inhibition in lovemaking; it provides trust in your own body and very gently allows you to let love in and to be able to receive love being shown to you. This is a stone of acceptance and release, paving the way to new experiences in love and in life. Pink tourmaline brings the most important kind of love of all—for yourself.

* Watermelon tourmaline is an exceptional combination of green and pink and is a stone of harmony and balance. This crystal is one to call upon when dealing with conflict. It gives you the ability to love yourself and others, to understand, and to heal. It is a peacemaker’s stone, more essential in this world than ever before.

* Clear tourmaline is the blending of all the other tourmalines. This clear crystal touches upon and opens the crown chakra, creating synergy between the etheric body and the physical body by aligning the meridian lines. It is a boost to the immune system and has been used for healing nervous disorders.

Sapphire

The word sapphire has many origins, among them the Greek word sapphiros, meaning “beloved of Saturn,” and indeed this is one of the most beloved stones in the universe. Gorgeous one and all, sapphires are usually thought of as blue but also come in gray, black, orange, pink, and white. Sapphires are found in Australia, India, and North America and are held in reverence the world over. I believe the healing power of a true blue sapphire to be a great gift to humanity, and will begin there. The dark blue sapphire, which looks like the inky blue night sky, is a creativity crystal. It also instills deep loyalty and close, long-lasting bonds between people.

Blue sapphire carries the blue ray of harmony, nourishing the mind, giving perspective, and putting the thoughts in order. Blue sapphire also increases mental flexibility and helps an individual achieve mastery of the self-mind, body, and spirit. Sapphire is a simple light on this most complicated thing, the human mind, with its myriad levels and endless new thoughts. On a soul level, sapphire is about clearing and focusing the mind. Discernment, deciding what to process and what to filter out and let go of, is the key to soul growth.

Sapphire is best worn as a necklace so it is closer to your head. The collective wisdom of healers tells us that a short necklace is even better because it connects with the throat chakra more quickly and has more immediate and more powerful effects. The throat chakra also corresponds with the blue ray. Many practitioners speak of cases in which the senses of sight and hearing became keener after exposure to blue sapphire.

You should not wear sapphire, especially large stones, too frequently, as they can begin to drain energy. Sometimes the body will throw up resistance to too much change too rapidly. The healing ray of sapphire will cause a mental dumping of unnecessary baggage, which could lead to spaciness. Do watch for this, as it is a sign that you need to stop wearing your sapphire for a week, at least. With blue sapphire, the color and clarity greatly impact its healing abilities. You will want your jeweler or gem dealer to allow you to look under the microscope to see healing influence at all. Look for a true blue, a rich hue that’s neither too indigo nor too purple nor too pale.

The gemologist’s term “candescence” comes from the word “incandescence,” meaning the level of light glow inherent in the stone. Not all stones possess candescence, but blue sapphire possesses nearly the highest level, giving this gem the ability to infuse us with the healing blue ray. My absolute favorite aspect of blue sapphire as a gem is that it is a direct way to get in touch with your spirit.

* Dark Blue sapphire brings serenity and inner peace. This is a real tool for deep meditation. This gem also helps avoid negative
energy and can help get rid of it. This particular sapphire frees your from perplexity in regard to your soul mission in this life; it helps you to know your true values and who you are at the deepest level.

* Light Blue sapphire is the stone of inspiration, bringing new ideas and thought patterns. This blessed crystal also creates a feeling of excitement and fullness in daily living. This stone can reignite your lust for life!

* Green sapphire is a lucky gem. It is supposed to be good for your eyes and vision. A green sapphire will help you to remember your dreams more vividly. Wear this heart-chakra opener as a ring touching the skin and it will bring loyal love and friendship into your life. Additionally, this jewel smoothes your way through life, clearing obstacles out of your path.

* Lilac sapphire is the stone for artistic and innovative people’ it can eradicate any creative blocks and allow the free flow of ideas and motivation.

* Orange sapphire is a truth stone, allowing nothing but profound, base-level reality. If you suffer from illusory thinking or denial, this gem will cut right through that and help you see things just as they are. Orange sapphire is good for researchers, scholars, teachers, investigative journalists, and writers.

* Pink sapphire is a stone of surrender. This gem connotes higher love and infuses a sense of the greater good. Pink sapphire will help you deal with control issues and allow you to cooperate better with others. This rock reminds you that you don’t have to do it all by yourself.

* Purple sapphire is a spiritual stone, a gem of awakening, raising kundalini energy. This is a wonderful tool for contemplation and meditation. Purple sapphire also kindles the crown chakra.

* White sapphire is a terrific stone for self-protection. This is good for anyone with issues of codependence or martyrdom. If you put yourself last, then get a white sapphire (your first act of putting yourself first) and be good to yourself. Caring for yourself physically, emotionally, and spiritually will make for a better world because there is a better you in it!

* Black sapphire is absorptive and draws harm away from the wearer. This is the most protective of all the sapphire family. Black sapphire also lends you confidence that comes from the intelligence inherent in the body. Wearing this stone will make you more sure of your hunches and intuition. This is a stone of steadiness and is great to wear on job interviews—you will get the job and keep it!

* Yellow sapphire, associated with Ganesh, the Hindu god of abundance and prosperity, is a wonderful stone for knowledge, for inner knowing and trust in that. This bright gem is also great for the memory and retention of what you are learning. If you are wearing it for healing and the intellectual stimulation it offers, the actual stone should touch your finger.

Emerald

This fantastical green gem has been doted on for 4,000 years. The word “emerald” comes from the Greek word smaragdos, meaning “green stone.” While diamonds have many, many fans, emeralds have their enthusiasts, as well. I am a huge fan of emeralds and had one hand-made by a South African goldsmith to pair with the diamonds in the setting for my engagement ring. 

As mentioned previously, emerald is also known as green beryl. It is the most valuable of all the beryls—a precious gem, indeed. Beryl is usually colorless but becomes green when traces of chromium appear in its makeup. This occurs rarely, which is why emeralds are so costly.

Gems are, of course, judged for their brilliance, clarity, weight, and proportion. Emeralds have to be cut in a certain way—the very popular octagonal shape that has come to be called the emerald cut—because they are considered to be sensitive stones. The less transparent or very included stones are often mounted as dome-shaped cabochons.

Lucky May-born folks have emerald, the gem of joy and positivity, as their special stone. The gem is a symbol of true love, fidelity, fertility, and birth. Emeralds create harmony, the lubricant of life, and also help memory. They help people express themselves well, and they add to that power by promoting the telling of only the truth. Emeralds are wisdom stones that give the wearers the inspiration and intuition to share their wisdom with others and to shower love on the people in their lives. Health issues that are reputedly alleviated by emerald include diabetes, problems in the spine, back, and skeleton, and mental and emotional distress. The stone is heralded to be a balm for irritated eyes.

Emerald is also a heart stone, offering benefits on physical and emotional planes. I prefer emeralds above all other stones for engagement rings. This is your ultimate gem for happiness in a relationship. In fact, emerald has been called the stone of successful love and can engender utter felicity, total loyalty, and domestic bliss in a willing couple. The emerald is at its most powerful if worn as a pinkie—or ring—finger ornament or in a bracelet on the right wrist. But wearers, be warned! Do not wear emerald at all times or its super-positive force starts to reverse. A little emerald luck goes a long way. 

Worry Stones

Pinkish red stones offer enormous psychological support. Turn to such rose stones—rhodochrosite, rhodonite, and rhyolite—during times of trouble and they will come to your emotional rescue. Keep them in your pocket or purse or in a desk drawer so you can hold them in your hand when you feel scared. Harmony will abound.

Aquamarine

Beloved for its crystal-clear blue color, this gem is a worldwide favorite. It is a form of beryl, as is emerald. Found in the Americas, Brazil, India, and Russia. Aquamarine less frequently occurs in topaz-like yellow gold. Once upon a time, spectacles were made from aquamarine, but now it is cherished for the harmony it can bring. This stone is of particular use to physics for filtering information and sharpening the sixth sense.

Once used by sailors as a guard against drowning, it is an aid for the throat and communication, even helping to express what is most difficult. This beautiful blue gem is the birthstone for those born in March, thus most Pisceans and a few early Aries. Aquamarine will help you become more intuitive and bring balance into your life.

Laying on of Stones

This healing practice is distilled from the study of chakras. Here are just a few examples of how to apply stones directly to your body or that of anyone else who needs healing. After you have gotten the knack of it, you can use the information in this book to try your own healing applications of stones and gems.

The first step for anyone undertaking crystal healing is to lie down, relax, and get very comfortable. Empty everything else from your mind.

Lapis lazuli and its fellow blue aquamarine can be laid upon the throat chakras to release any blockage therein. This greatly aids in self-expression and is wonderful for professional speakers as well as performers such as actors and singers. Turquoise laid on the face—cheeks, forehead, and chin—is a calming agent, significantly reducing tension. Azurite on the brow opens the third eye and deepens wisdom; this can balance the energy of the head and allow more light into the third eye.

Malachite, a heart stone, placed near the heart and along the center of the abdomen will create a sense of harmony and facilitate letting go of pain, suffering, and old childhood wounds.

Rose Quartz Is Love in Mineral Form

 

We all get worn down now and again, and, when that happens, we often feel blue or at least in the doldrums a bit. If you have no other crystal, make sure to have rose quartz on hand. It infuses you with self-love and brightens “the vibe” anywhere it is. I view self-love as a superpower and the real foundation of all true personal power. Widely known as the stone of unconditional love, the soft pink hunk of love known as rose quartz is said to attract and inspire love in all forms. It’s especially good for promoting self-love and emotional harmony. It can be a teeny tiny pebble of pink or a big ol‘ rock, but you should have it near you, especially when you are feeling low. I say have some around at all time, but, then again, I have crystals in every room. Keeping a piece of rose quartz out where you can see it, on your desk at work, on your bedside table, or next to the bathtub, can act as a powerful visual reminder to take a little bit of time for yourself.

Sea Change- Releasing Ritual

A bath blessing that will both relax and purify you is a rare and wonderful thing. To prepare yourself, place one quart of rough sea salt or Epson salts in a large bowl. Add the juice from six freshly squeezed lemons, 1/2 cup of sesame oil, and a few drops of rose and jasmine oils. Stir until the mixture is completely moistened. You can add more sesame oil if necessary, but do not add more lemon, as it will make the mixture overly astringent and potentially irritating to your skin.

When your tub is one-third full, add one-quarter of the salt mixture under the faucet. Breathe in deeply ten times, inhaling and exhaling fully before you do this recitation. You may start to feel a tingling at the crown of your head. The water should still be running when you proclaim:

Thalassa, O Harmonious One,
Goddess and mistress, I ask your guidance. 
Remove from me any impurities
Of heart, spirit, and mind. I open myself to you. 
My wish is to once again become whole,
Free of pain, sadness, and all that is better in me.

When the tub is full, it is time to step inside and breathe deeply ten more times. Repeat the prayer to the sea goddess Thalassa, and use the rest of the salt to gently massage your body. Rest and rejuvenate as long as you like, allowing yourself to feel refreshed and renewed by the ministrations of this Greek goddess from whom eloquence, inspiration and blessings flow.

Flower Remedy Ritual

Flower essences restore emotional balance and aid physical harmony. Naturopathic doctors and healers recommend using Dr. Bach’s flower remedies, which were originally created from the morning dew found on flower petals. These subtle medicines are available in most health food and metaphysical stores. To know which essences are right for you, take a pendulum and write the essence names on paper in a wheel formation. Holding the pendulum in the middle, wait for it to select one name while chanting:

Spirit of the flower, help me this day
To keep disease and depression far at bay. Blessed be.

To prepare the following remedies, mix two drops of flower essence in 30 milliliters of distilled water. Take four drops of the remedy daily until your health is restored. You can also apply the remedy to your pulse points: wrists, temples, behind the ears, back of knees. You can also add it to your bath, or spray it into the air. Following is a guide to healing flower remedies:

Addiction: skullcap, oregano

Anger: nettle, blue flag, chamomile

Anxiety: garlic, rosemary, aspen, periwinkle, lemon balm, white chestnut, gentian

Bereavement: honeysuckle

Depression: borage, sunflower, larch, chamomile, geranium, yerba santa, black cohosh, lavender, mustard

Exhaustion: aloe, yarrow, olive, sweet chestnut

Fear: poppy, mallow, ginger, peony, water lily, basil, datura Heartbreak: heartsease, hawthorn, borage

Lethargy: aloe, thyme, peppermint

Stress: dill, Echinacea, thyme, mistletoe, lemon balm Spiritual blocks: oak, ginseng, lady’s slipper

Service to Mother Earth: A Walking Meditation

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   As you walk, take the time to look and really see what is in your path. For example, my friend Brenda takes a bag with her and picks up every piece of garbage in her path. She does this as an act of love for the earth. During the ten years I have known her, she has probably turned a mountain of garbage into recycled glass, paper and plastic. Goddess bless!