Cleansing a New Home

For the past couple of weeks I have been so busy moving into my new apartment. I am very happy to finally be settled somewhere new and beautiful. Along the way I have discovered some tips to help me make this home a sacred, peaceful place. When moving into a new home, it is very important to make sure you are filling the home with positive energy that will last. Moving is a big transition, so tension and stress can be high. These are the kinds of energies you want away from your new space. Below are some steps that are very important to take in creating your new sacred, loving environment. 

1. Detach 

One of the most important steps to moving is letting go of the things you no longer need. This step was so hard for me, but I had excellent help. A lot of things hold memories, but no purpose. Sometimes it is best to let those memories go. This allows you to detach, de-clutter, and move on. There's no better way to start fresh in a new place. Detachment is good for the soul because it reminds us that what we think we need is really all just an illusion. Leaving material items behind also helps ego get left behind. Certain attached, addicted, or dependent parts of us will be thrown away, too. 

2. Smudging

Cedar

Smudging is an ancient Shamanic and Native tradition used to attract or repel the good or bad. You can find smudge sticks at metaphysical shops, farmers markets, natural food stores, etc. Sage is usually what is recommended because it repels any negative energy, including spirits or thoughts. When moving into a new place, you may or may not know what energies are tied into the house already. Moving can also be very stressful so negativity may be absorbed upon your arrival. To perform a smudging ritual, light the end of the smudge stick and hold over an abalone dish (if you don't have one, a regular bowl will work fine.) Make sure there are windows open. Start at the beginning of the house and work your way around. Each room you should be affirming peace, protection, positivity, and whatever else you would like to attract in your new home. When finished, end where you started and put out the smudge stick. If the light goes out on its own, you will need to cleanse that room for a longer period of time. There are many other smudges you can use instead of or in addition to sage. For example, I used a Cedar Smudge the day after the sage. Cedar is used traditionally when moving into a new house because it attracts good energy for new beginnings. You can also use lavendar, sweetgrass, rosemary, etc for relaxation, hope, or whatever you are trying to manifest. 

Sage 

3. Grids

I know I've previously written about gridding a house with Selenite. This is such an important step to protecting a home. Selenite cleanses an area, just as sage does. The idea of the grid is to place Selenite in the four main corners of your home. This will ward off negative energy and keep the home at peace. Selenite calls upon the angels to protect the home. Black Tourmaline is another crystal that can be used in a grid. It works as a shield of any harm or negative energy. Whatever it is you are trying to manifest, you can use the corresponding crystal to grid your home with. If you are trying to bring love into the home, place Rose Quartz in the four main corners. If you are trying to manifest happiness and abundance, Citrine is best to use. By adding a crystal to each corner of the home, you are creating a force field of energy that will help attract the energy you desire. 

4. Life 

Last but not least, adding a bit of life to a home is a great way to create a positive environment. Bringing the earth inside of your home will help promote grounding and peace. Not only are plants beneficial to the spirit, but they can help freshen the air, make it easier to breathe, reduce stress, and induce motivation. Fill your empty spaces up with plants and you will see the affects of bringing life inside. 

How to Relax Using Crystals

After a long day, in the middle of a difficult day, before you go to sleep, or before you start your day, it is an excellent idea to put aside ten-twenty minutes to heal your nerves and ease your mind. Whether it's stress, migraines, a racing heartbeat, or worried thoughts - there are crystals that can help you overcome what you are feeling. When you lose your relaxed state, you lose your control. When you lose your control, you give up your power and strength to ego. Sometimes it's hard not to lose your control and your peace of mind. To reenter the state of relaxation and control, however, is easy. 

For Headaches: 

I was able to heal my migraines with this Lapis Lazuli stone. Amazing!

Amethyst, Sodalite, and Lapis Lazuli are my favorite crystals to use for headaches and migraines. There are two quick ways to relieve headaches using one of these three crystals. If you are able to lie down for ten minutes, simply lay comfortably with your arms flat to your sides. Place the crystal of your choice on your forehead (or on your third eye chakra) or hold it in your hands. Close your eyes and take deep breaths - in through your nose, out through your mouth. Your focus should remain on your breathing and on the warm, vibrating energy of the crystal's contact with your skin. Inhale positive energy, exhale negativity. Inhale peace, exhale stress and worry. Inhale serenity, exhale pain. If you are unable to lie down, simply sit with straight posture and do the same. 

For Grounding: 

Source: http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/mountain-pose/

When the feeling that you are losing all control strikes, you are in dire need of grounding. Some other symptoms include feeling tired or drained, overstimulated and jittery, feeling floaty, misplacing things or being clumsy, feeling like you are stuck in an out of body experience, or not being able to keep track of important things or conversations. Some excellent crystals to use to solve this problem are Smokey Quartz, Black Tourmaline, or Kyanite. Feeling like you are not grounded comes from your root and earth star chakras. Your root chakra is located at the base of your spine and your earth star chakras are located at your feet. The best way to ground yourself and gain back your control is to stand barefoot - especially outside in the grass if you are able to - and hold the smokey quartz in your hand. The way you should be standing is known as "Tadasana" for yogi's. This pose is powerful to practice because it is a helpful way to regain power within itself. You stand tall with your feet apart and arms next to you with your palms facing outward. Wear or hold the crystal you are using. This will center you spiritually and ground you with the Earth. If you are unable to go outside or stand, you can sit upright with your feet touching the floor and take deep breaths holding the crystal you are using. Imagine what is below you - the floor, the grass, the dirt, the earth, all the way deep down to Earth's oldest layers. Now picture the energy from those oldest layers all the way up sending life and vitality all the way up from your toes, through your body, and beaming out of your crown chakra into the sky and then to the galaxy. You are one with the Earth. You are safe. Everything you need is provided for you. 

For Frustration: 

Labradorite (left) and Lepidolite (right) are great crystals for restoring inner peace. The colorful sheen Labradorite offers is enough to distract your mind from all frustration. 

Frustration can be painful - when everything around you is not going as you wish it would. This type of feeling can be caused by people, work, life at home, etc. Some great crystals to use for this are labradorite, moonstone, and lepidolite. Labradorite and Moonstone are especially good for when people bring you down. These are two crystals that protect against energy vampires and will raise you to your higher consciousness - allowing only light and wisdom in and out. Lepidolite is better for stressful situations you may be faced with because it eases transitions. All three of these crystals are excellent stress relievers. The best way to use them is to sit or lie down holding them in your hand. Breathe deeply. Think of what is stressing you out. Channel this into the crystal you are holding and allow the crystal to channel it's energies into you. Remind yourself that other people and events are beyond your control and you should not allow those types of things to frustrate you. Affirm that everything has a way of working itself out. Allow the light of the piece of Earth you are holding to wash away your worries and restore you with the positive, calm energy you need. 

For Worry and Panic: 

Here I hold two Uruguayan Amethysts. The deep purple crystals put me in such a trance. 

Blue Calcite, Carnelian, Amethyst, Rose Quartz, Blue Lace Agate, and Aquamarine are the best crystals to use to relax during this kind of trouble. Worry and panic originate in the mind, and can easily be fixed by a change in thought. However, it is very difficult to retrieve thoughts once they slip into the egoic realm of negativity. After the mind is dominated by negativity, other parts of the body can very easily be altered and brought into a terrible state. Blue Calcite can specifically be used to relax the mind and the heart rate. Carnelian is best used to calm scattered thoughts or brain chatter that is not benefiting you and to keep your mind focused on proper action that needs to be taken. Amethyst and Rose Quartz can be used to relieve the mind of negative, worried thoughts and bring your heart and spirit back to a peaceful state. Blue Lace Agate and Aquamarine can be used to relax the mind and replace negative thoughts with positive ones. When you realize you are beginning to worry and panic, and it is too late to create a positive reality for yourself - try this technique. 

No matter where you are or what you are doing, hold one of the crystals listed above in your hand and focus on it. For this kind of problem, it is not necessary to be seated, lying down, or standing - though it may help to physically be relaxed. Close your eyes and bring your attention to the crystal in your hands. Breathe in and out deeply as you feel the crystal vibrate in your hands. Feel the warmth of the crystal spread through your hands. Let the energy of the crystal wipe away any worry in you heart or in your mind. Remind yourself that you are safe, happy, and healthy. 

Summer Solstice Collection

Ahh Summer Solstice – the first day of summer; a time to celebrate the sun as it rises in the Northeast, hits directly over the Tropic of Cancer, and sets in the Northwest. On this day the sun stays out longer, supercharging our fiery, passionate aspects. During the week before and following the Solstice, our bodies undergo a cleansing period. Our physical bodies undergo detoxification, our minds will be clear and receptive to information from Spirit, and our emotional pain releases to help us heal. During this time we are aligned with what is best for us. It is a time of healing, clarity, manifestation, forgiveness, and opportunity. It is a time to look at what causes us pain and let go of those toxic emotions, grudges, relationships, or patterns.

My rising sign is Cancer so I am very sensitive to the Summer Solstice. This day fills me with vitality and passion. I transformed this energy toward the one thing I always manifest, my healing crystals. I have used this time of clarity and creation to visualize a few pendants that remind me of summer. There is a pendant for each chakra and each one has its own story. However, they all have in common the clarifying, passionate, healing, and aligning properties of Summer Solstice and the energy I have from this day.

These pendants are for the ones who are held back by judgment. These pendants are for the ones trying to find their spirit and work out of ego. They are for ones who have been harmed by others and are looking to recover. They are for the ones who feel powerless or disconnected. These pendants will help those who get discouraged manifest and have trust in the universe. These pendants will help those who feel stuck receive information from universe on what their next move should be. These pendants are for those who often repress their emotions or hold on to emotions. These pendants will help you release. They will help you love. They will help you surrender to all that is and all that will be. They resemble trust, freeing of the mind and of the heart, and forgiveness. They resemble vitality, life, and creation. 

Nourishment

Part two of today's self-nourishment took place in the sun. I brought out some crystals, laid down a blanket, and prepared myself to meditate. Before meditating, I set up this crystal grid. Crystal grids are a powerful way to manifest an intended goal. My goal today was connection. The center of my grid is a large Amethyst cluster. This crystal was the inside of the grid to assist in connecting with my own inner peace. I surrounded the Amethyst crystal with an even number of Amethyst clusters to help me connect with balance. Inside and outside the circle are bright red begonia petals to help me connect with nature. Connecting with nature is very important - it is what grounds us. Around the Amethyst on the outside are long, white Selenite wands. Selenite is around the outside to help connect with the outside world - to allow angelic and divine guidance and protection. I set my intentions with the crystals and meditated my goals of connection upon this beautiful geometric, colorful grid. 

Today was about nourishment: about getting in tune with my mind, body, and spirit to find what I need. I decided to wear the Rose Quartz that you can find in my etsy shop. Rose Quartz is a crystal I believe everybody should carry. It is the stone of love, nourishment, understanding, and forgiveness. This crystal is often called the mothering crystal for its ability to nourish, comfort, and heal the heart. It provides unconditional love. It works to heal the heart chakra - the green vortex of energy located in the chest. When I wear Rose Quartz, I feel any sadness, anger, or worry leave my body to open room for self-love, love from others, and divine love. Wearing Rose Quartz makes my negative thoughts fade away, as those thoughts will only damage heart and spirit. I wear it as armor to protect my heart from the negativity of others. Conversely, I wear it to empathize, to know where the negativity of others stems from so I can understand their pain and help them heal. This crystal guides me into light and into love. I remember creating this piece in particular; love streamed through my toes from the earth, meeting the universal source of energy in my heart that entered through the gateway of my crown chakra. This energy helped me creates such a loving crystal.

Another way I love to nourish my body is to pay attention to what I consume. Lemon & cucumber infused water is my favorite way to rejuvenate and detox. This mixture contains so many good vitamins and minerals, it brings down blood pressure, it curbs appetite, detoxes, etc etc etc. I can't give this mixture enough praise - no matter how crazy I sound. I added some leftover begonia petals from my grid because they were full of the energy from the crystals and looked so cute floating with the other ingredients. I have a lot of stomach problems, but this mixture always relieves my body for the entire day. Not to mention, I feel revitalized and energized after drinking it. Certain foods can pollute our chakras. Eating clean does not just benefit weight - but can help the way our organs function, the way our mind works and thinks, and the way our emotions behave. Things like red meats, alcohol, fats, and any form of processed food could very easily pollute your spiritual body. It is important to absorb the nutrients of food from the Earth like raw fruits and veggies in order to achieve balance and wellness. Your body is your temple - treat it like it is! 

Pocket Full of Crystals

These are the stones I like to carry with me. Sometimes I switch it up, but I often find myself with these six. Even though I am not wearing them or showing off their beauty, I feel good knowing they are always with me. Whether it's in my pocket, my purse, or my pillow - these stones are there to protect, help, and heal me. 

The stone of love.  

I carry the Rose Quartz because of how happy it makes me feel. Every time I hold this stone it makes me feel so at peace with everything. It takes all my worries away and directs my attention to the wonder that lives inside. I carry it because it means something to me. It makes me feel loved and reminds me I am loved. It was a gift to me from Vero at The Bodhi Tree in Sugarloaf, NY; the place I did my first custom show. This crystal shop is more like a spiritual getaway and Vero is a warm, gentle person who is lovely to be around. I carry the Rose Quartz because it makes me feel safe, like nobody can or will bring me down. I feel like my heart is protected, so I am able to see the best in everybody and give my love to them. 

My stone of protection.  

I carry the Black Tourmaline for protection. I feel it protects me spiritually and emotionally. It relieves me of any panic, worry, and fear. It helps ground me spiritually so I am not fatigued or drained. I carry it because it is one of my favorite stones. It was a gift from my mom who is also my best friend. She knows me better than anyone. I know she spent so much time picking out crystals for me when she went to Puerto Rico. I couldn't wrap or sell any because of how much I loved them all. We are always on the same wavelength. She has always been my main protector, but if she is ever not with me - the protecting properties of black tourmaline are. 

Why wouldn't you carry one of these?  

I carry the citrine because of the properties. I have never had any special memory with this citrine or any citrine - but I love what it is meant to bring. It is a stone of abundance, of prosperity, and of luck. It is a manifestation stone for ideals, dreams, and goals. It is a stone of joy, bringing optimism and positive thoughts. It dissolves any negative energy, protects against negative energy, and holds no negative energy. It is a stone of control. It fills the Solar Plexus Chakra with power, anxiety relief, and trust. It clears any blocks and let's you beam with yellow light. 

Can feel my happiest moments when I look at this stone.  

I carry the Smoky Quartz because it is another great protection stone. I especially love that it is protective during travel. I bought this in the summer of 2014 - a summer of adventure! I drove to Delaware for a music festival (Firefly!!) filled with late nights and laughter, Tennessee to stay on a house boat for a week for full relaxation and fun, New Jersey to visit my cousin for a crazy night at a rap concert (Eminem), Connecticut for an awesome concert (Queen!) and such a fun night, and more. It was nonstop travel and adventure. Smokey Quartz protects against road rage, harm from other drivers, and traffic or road issues. I carry it for safety - and for all the memories of such good times. 

Knowledge speaks, wisdom listens. 

I carry the Lapis Lazuli and the Blue Kyanite for communication. One to help me listen and one to help me speak. One to dissolve the negative thoughts and one to bring in wise, intelligent ones. One to help me see past what people say, and one to help me think before I speak. Communication is important to control. It is how we meet people, make friends, network, or serve. It is an aspect of my daily life and with the help of my lapis lazuli and blue kyanite I feel protected and confident doing so.