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Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series: Progress Report

Progress Report: A Manifestation Update

All art & photography © 2012 Leah Richmond Cooper

Hello Dear Aum Nॐmmers,

I began my Manifestation Meditations on September 21, and by the time I was at Entry 7.7, just a third of the way through, I became swamped with money-making opportunities.  The day I began meditating I had an offer from a friend to do some art-related work for her, and the next day another friend gave me a beautiful new bag from his store.  Less than seven days later, I was offered a part-time retail job at just the right time for me to work through another aspect of my relationship with money and open to ethical selling.  Since then it has become a regular gig that I enjoy and continue to use for my ethical selling expansion.  The day after being offered that particular job, both H and I were given the opportunity to work on a set for good pay, making enough money in five days to cover all of our rent, bills and expenses for a month and a half! 

In a nutshell, just nine days after beginning these expansive meditations I began working two days a week, then a week later it jumped to six in a row!  I took the day off today to do nothing, because every opportunity I get keeps expanding into more time and more opportunity.  Exactly what I asked for: but now I'm ready to move to the next step...

It has become crystal (hoho) clear to me that I can manifest money through the type of work I've been doing my whole life: worth my time, but not connected to my deepest and most passionate dreams. 

My next step is to manifest opportunities and money connected to what I truly want to do: art, writing, and energetic work. 

It felt like a big deal to find opportunities to bring in the minimum I needed to pay for my half of the bills, and instead it was easy.  Ridiculously easy.  From what I understand of the culmination of my studies over the past ten years, it is as easy to manifest a bag as it is a house.  I'm ready to do that now.  I feel intimidated, but whenever I look around me and feel grateful for all I have at this moment, I know that there is more to come, more unknown to expand into... and that's what this 21 part Manifestation Meditation series is about!

Can you believe we are only one-third through?!

Have you given manifestation or magnetization a go?  If you did or have, what did/would you attract? 

Click through to dendria’s website. Like me on Facebook.

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Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series: Day 7 of 7

Day 7 of 7 - Manifestation Meditations - Honey Calcite

All art & photography © 2012 Leah Cooper

Chakra: Naval/Sacral Plexus (Swadhisthana)

Stone: Honey Calcite - to gently amplify and assist with habit shifts.

Intention: I connect with the infinite energy flow that is money and open to ethical selling.

** At the end of each session I will observe the corresponding chakra in my mind's eye and describe its form. **

Observations & Results: I previously used Honey Calcite in conjunction with Sodalite for Entry 7.2 when I needed clarify my next step and was focusing upon expanding my energy out and allowing abundance in.  This time, my Intention was a little more specific, tapping into connecting to the money-energy flow and my new theme of ethical selling.  Strangely, I felt a little scattered during the meditation, as though I was being led, stumbling, along a path unknown to me. 

Before starting, I had just finished my Morning Pages and began work on the Week 9 exercises of The Artist's Way.  Week 9 asks the reader to visualize a goal that they had chosen previously, which was interesting, because everything seems to be leading me toward visualisation right now.  I'm currently reading a book by Sanaya Roman called Creating Money, which was originally published in 1988.  I came across it spontaneously at the library, and I spent a few hours yesterday reading through the exercises that include some visualisations which very much resemble what I have been coming to on my own.  When I started to read about visualising in The Artist's Way, I saw a clear picture of myself, standing in a gallery, red dots over the numbers denoting my paintings, indicating they had been sold.  Little did I know how this would effect my meditation.

I started today by relaxing into my posture with the Honey Calcite at my belly button, then, although I intended to draw energy to myself and infuse Swadhisthana with golden energy, I instead started to create an energy coil quite like what Sanaya Roman describes in her book.  Next, I visualised myself looking at my sold paintings, trying to get the sense of being within the experience of the visualisation.  At this point I hesitated, feeling that I had not done the preparation needed to resonate and magnetise what I wanted... I wasn't at all sure how to do it and didn't feel confident to pick a focus.  Suddenly, I was visualizing connecting to specific art-related people, golden trailers of energy shooting out from me like grappling hooks and embedding in my targets' energy bodies and then magnetising them to me.  It was as though I was frozen, watching myself do this.  I concentrated on sending gentle words of love, thanks and gratitude from myself to these people's energy bodies.  Then I flashed to illuminating all the energy bodies of "my people" (the ones I had established contact with in previous meditations), feeding energy into them until they were burning bright white.  Finally, I calmly observed the glowing shapes and fell into a floating trance for the remainder of the session.  Up until the last part of the meditation, when I no longer felt my body, my mid-back had been hurting a little, indicating the surfacing of my fear of support from others and being "stabbed in the back".

As I came back to my senses, I was feeling quite discombobulated, as though I had been tugged back and forth between opposing forces.  My own resistance being on one side, and surrender to intuition on the other.  Looking at the form of Swadhisthana, I noted that the shape had not changed much since last time, it still resembled two large cones meeting in the middle at their tapered ends like an hourglass, with me, tiny, between them.  This time there were spinning coils making up the cones and the whole structure was inside two simultaneously rotating cones, creating a more distinct hourglass form.  The sizes of the cones kept alternating, the cone on the top would reduce as the one on the bottom would expand, like a vertical seesaw.  It definitely mimicked my disorientation!

Online References: http://www.crystalsandjewelry.com/metaphysical_healing/stoneinfo/honeycalcite.html http://www.healingcrystals.com/Calcite__Amber__Honey_Calcite__Articles_128.html

I'm not as of yet sure if this push and pull is between my own resistance and the intuitive connection to my higher good.  Although I felt some forcing on my part, I mostly let the meditation go where it would.  What I am sure of is that these new methodologies that I have not yet practiced are chomping at the bit for wont of use!  I better get on it.  At the beginning of today's session, I was considering whether to do a visualisation, or to let the crystal take over.  Obviously, I went in undecided and there was a consequence for it.  Next time, I will surrender to the crystal and Swadhisthana and see what I can see from a passive viewpoint.  In the meantime, I will be actively pursuing the "magnetizing" methods from Sanaya Roman's book.  I will try keeping them separated... for now.

This is the first time I've experienced such craziness!  Have you ever been in the midst of a meditation and suddenly hit a wall?  Have you had a question come up mid-meditation?  What did you do and did you later come to a conclusion that I might find helpful?

Click through to dendria’s website. Like me on Facebook.

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Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series: Day 6 of 7

  Day 6 of 7 - Manifestation Meditations - Fuschite

All art & photography © 2012 Leah Cooper

Chakra: Naval/Sacral Plexus (Swadhisthana)

Stones:  Fuschite - to connect the mind and heart in a joyful outlook on wealth & prosperity.

Intention: I connect with the infinite energy flow that is money and open to ethical selling.

** At the end of each session I will observe the corresponding chakra in my mind's eye and describe its form. **

Observations & Results: Today, I took my Fuschite stone and placed it at my belly button, then sat up straight and repeated today's Intention until I seeded it confidently.  Then I went to into meditation, letting golden light (photon-like - individual, short rays) infuse my Swadhisthana chakra and energy body from all directions.  It felt calming and comfortable, and the spiraling in my belly started to move more widely, outside my body.  I had intended to visualise people, sales recipients, lighting up with golden light to echo my own energy body, but by the time I was completely saturated with golden energy, I had "nodded".  I opened up very deeply today and came out of the session feeling tingly all over, lot of movement in my Anahata (heart - 4th chakra), and even a little groggy. 

Observing my chakra was very interesting.  If you remember, up until now Swadhisthana has expanded up and out from me, leaving my tiny form at the base of the structure.  Well, today I had a major shift.  This time, the chakra form looked like two hulking orange cones, the top one inverted to join them both in the middle by their pointed ends.  Their base circles formed the end caps of a large cylindrical structure within which the tapering funnels floated.  There I was, minute as could be... but slap dab in the middle, where the two cones touched.  This is quite a change, as it indicates that I am no longer just grounded and connecting to abundance through my higher purpose, but that the abundance is itself now a grounding agent.  I have now linked my imagination directly with manifestation!  At first I didn't perceive the form moving, but then I realised: the chakra was turning quite rapidly, with its axis perpendicular to the ground, giving the illusion of stillness because of the uniformity of the shape.  I get the feeling that this form will be funneling some things to me with intensity in the next few weeks!

Online References: http://www.essence-of-mineral-makeup.com/fuschite.html http://www.healing-crystals-for-you.com/fuchsite.html

I was recently offered the chance to make a little extra money picking up some shifts at my friend's retail store.  Up until recently I have avoided such "steps backwards", but I surprised myself by immediately embracing it with enthusiasm.  With all of the crystal meditations, goals in manifestation, and diligent repetition of affirmations in my Morning Pages every day... it felt right.  One of the affirmations I write daily is: "Today, all I do, notice and encounter propels me into synchronistic opportunities and events, aligning me with my greatness and higher purpose as I live the life of my dreams."  This one has been so powerful for me, because it instills a reaction of welcoming anticipation to everything that I experience in my day, no matter how small.  At first, I thought this opportunity would just bringing me money, but going back into retail had a deeper impact: I had expanded out of my comfort zone.  This was exactly what I had intended to manifest with my last five meditations!   

I have been working to break into new attitudes and enthusiasm surrounding money and moneymaking.  Up until recently, this has been a major roadblock for me... I was what might be called a "manic manifester", as coined by Kevra Unger, living in unconscious feast or desperate famine.  I am now a joyfully conscious partaker in abundance.  Letting go of old habits, such as that of my previous shop girl persona, is an integral part of rooting this new-to-me practice.  My hesitant, apologetic and shamed (and embarrassingly... hovering) selling style is going out the window!  I am excited to see how this meditation will manifest a shift in the way I sell products, because the most important things in my life are also exchanged for money-energy: artwork, crystal and chakra readings, reiki sessions, written work, and photography skills.  I am in integrity as I create my offerings and products, so if I am not feeling confident about, and in integrity regarding "selling", how can l manifest wealth, joy and greatness?  The short answer is: I can't.  No one can. 

I am starting to perceive that bringing a product to a customer can fulfill something deeper than just satisfaction at wearing an awesome outfit, or balancing energy in a particular section of that person's home.  It helps them to achieve their greatness, their higher purpose.  Now... is that too much to believe?  Are you worried I'm going to start talking "synergy" and sell you the kitchen sink?  It is true that people buy products that put them in debt.  It is true that they might purchase just to comfort themselves, just as one might drink to block out pain or eat to combat boredom.  My observation is that every day, everything all of us do, notice and encounter is synchronised to our highest good and blessed life path.  Wearing that bracelet may give an actress pleasure and get her glowing expression some press, ultimately sparking her career.  Buying an item that puts a man over his credit limit may be the straw that breaks the camel's back and sends him into a depression that ultimately brings him to an enlightened state.  Whether good or bad comes from a purchase, it is always what is "supposed" to happen.  The conscious contribution an ethical seller can make is that of energetic encouragement and compassion.  That's why assumption, expectation, and manipulation don't make much of a dent and ultimately poison the retail relationship.  The purchase was going to be made, the money spent, and the consequence experienced.  The chain of events involved in that purchase may never be known to the salesperson, but if it is sold with a feeling of connection to and faith in the customer's higher good... it is ethical. 

Now, this is a theory worthy of tweaking, so bear with me.  I would any comments and opinions from, you, my dear readers.  Do you think ethical selling is possible or even realistic?  Should I coin the term "monergy"??

Click through to dendria’s website. Like me on Facebook.

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Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series: Day 5 of 7

Day 5 of 7 - Manifestation Meditations - Tiger's Eye

All art & photography © 2012 Leah Cooper

Chakra: Naval/Sacral Plexus (Swadhisthana)

Stones: Tiger's Eye - to bring a joyful outlook on wealth & prosperity.

Intention: I have more than enough.

** At the end of each session I will observe the corresponding chakra in my mind's eye and describe its form. **

Observations & Results: What an amazing change since the last session!  I sat down, repeating the same Intention as last time, with Tiger's Eye at Swadhisthana in order to ground me and allow openness to wealth with the support of serenity and integrity.  My back was almost completely pain free!!  There were a few twinges, but nothing to distract me.  The bath meditation really did the trick.  I visualised myself growing large, activating "my people" and then worked on seeing the flow of golden abundance energy integrating with my energy field.  That was still a little challenging, and I felt it slip away at times.  I will just have to work on making that visualisation a habit at the beginning of the meditation, just as I do with energizing the connection with "my people".  It was a calm, relaxing experience, which was welcome after the struggle I went through previously.

Observing my Swadhisthana chakra at the end of the 21 minutes, I saw myself, again tiny, the base of an enormous, elongated translucent orange funnel of energy.  The outside of the long, thin oval was steady and solid, while inside a distinct spiral that looked as viscous as water spun endlessly.

Online References: http://www.shimmerlings.com/gemstones/tigereye.htm http://www.sobrietystones.com/resources/GemBook/Stones/meanings_gemstones_tigereye.htm

These past few days have yield one realisation after the other.  My focus and next step are being fed to me by my intuition, and my individual goals are starting to yield results that illuminate the overall picture.  I can see clearly that I am expanding into new territory around wealth, just as I requested.  The form this has taken is a shift my attitudes toward success, moneymaking, and specifically: selling. 

Recently, I was offered the opportunity to step in and pick up some part-time retail work at a friend's store.  At first I recognised this as being a source of income, but now I realise it is so much more!  When I worked in retail, for the first three or so years of the 2000s, it was a desperate time for those on the sales floor.  Somehow that climate stayed with my view of selling and helped shape it into a harshly dismissive, anti-consumerist point of view.  Since childhood I had been inundated with the false myth that creativity doesn't make money, and (knowing deep down that I was an artist) my reaction was to create a moral high ground for myself where ethics and morality were on the opposite end of the scale from moneymaking.  Throughout college this idea strengthened, and by the time I got my first retail job the burst of the Dotcom bubble and sudden downturn in spending reiterated to me that selling was never about benefiting the buyer.  Then, 9/11 and Enron happened, Ponzi schemes were exposed and we found ourselves sunk into the psychological and actual fiscal depression that still plagues the United States today.  It all seemed to back up my theory of "money bad!" and reinforce my superiority complex.  

Do you believe that we live in a world where only those that exploit others triumph?  Is there enough for everyone, or a limited supply of abundance?  Does having the lifestyle of your dreams feel unrealistic?

Through my current meditations and practices I have come to find today's "realism" is way over the line, on the side of negativity.  I have decided to stand up for positivity, ethical selling, and the joyous exchanged of the energy we call money.  Join me next time when I take 21 Stones: Manifestation Meditations to the next level.

Click through to dendria’s website. Like me on Facebook.

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Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series: Day 4 of 7

Day 4 of 7 - Manifestation Meditations - Citrine

All art & photography © 2012 Leah Cooper

Chakra: Naval/Sacral Plexus (Swadhisthana)

Stones: Citrine - to call in Wealth & Abundance.

Intention: I have more than enough.

** At the end of each session I will observe the corresponding chakra in my mind's eye and describe its form. **

Observations & Results: This meditation was a tough one for me.  I started off with a sense of excitement and quickly felt the spiraling of energy at my belly.  First thing I did was expand my Swadisthana energy field outward from my belly and hit "my people" until the earth was alight with their glowing forms.  Next, I began to visualise golden tendrils of wealth and abundance coming from them to me, and from the Universe into my energy field.  Then my lower back started to hurt. 

At first I thought it was because I hadn't been exercising much during the heatwave we've been experiencing in Los Angeles... but then it occurred to me: I was resisting abundance.  Citrine brings in abundance, it is a wealth and prosperity magnet, but what happens when we are not open to receiving?  There is an incongruity there, a tension.  All these years of rejecting money, having anxiety around it, treating money like the bad guy, putting blame on it for having no integrity or scruples... those habits are just shadows now, but still more familiar to me than my new associations.  So, I sat with the pain.  At first I meditated in spite of it, then I moved on to keeping my focus right at the most painful place and let it shift.  This 21 minutes stretched into forever.  I spent the last three minutes or so chanting the Purnam Mantra for abundance to get me through the pain.  

Observing my naval chakra, I saw an amazing sight: Swadhisthana had taken a deep orange, almost red, elongated form at the base of which I could see myself sitting... utterly miniscule.  The form stretched and twisted from top and bottom, almost pulsing as it spiraled.  Then I saw that this was one of a thousand petals all moving independently, creating individual enormous, stretched, twirling forms.  When I pulled back to see the combination of all of them, they formed a giant luminescent, living sphere.  Pretty rad, huh?

Well, by the end of the experience I felt great knowing that Swadhisthana was doing something quite spectacular.  I wasn't sure of the exact meaning, but I knew it to be a blossoming, an opening of sorts... in that way I felt on track.  Still, my back was totally killing me, so I decided to do a further practice.

What is it that helps you to release, relax and dissolve old habits and energies that are ready for shedding?  It can be invaluable to have a ritual that allows this kind of shift.  As I mentioned in my conclusions surrounding 21 Stones in 21 Days, I am finding it necessary to be able to move outside of a strict regimen and add further practices as needed during these current Manifestation Meditations.  For the most part, crystal meditation itself is calming and cleansing, but there are times when it can bring up emotions, energies and old habits that are ready for release.  From my experience as I healer, once illuminated, I find it effective to give issues acceptance and loving attention by acknowledging and moving directly through them.  What happens is that you pop out on the other side and are then in a position to release that particular unwanted manifestation for good.  When working on myself, I use my crystals to do either a Shavasana relaxation of about 45 minutes, or take a meditation bath with Epsom salts and my giant "Old Man" Rose Quartz rock in the water with me. 

Today I chose a bath, because of nature of the physical back pain.  I chose my stones, this time using my intuition directly (over my pendulum Turq) and, after having relaxed and gloried in the heat of the bath until a nice sweat had broken on my brow, I placed them on my body intuitively.  Usually, I put all of the stones behind my head, concentrate on a chakra and reach behind and pick up the crystal blindly.  Believe me, it's quick and it works every time.  To active my chakras I then concentrated on each in turn (today it made sense to alternate starting with Muladhara, then Sahasrara, then back down to Swadhisthana, etc.).  As has been the case for a while now, they resembled something like sprays of coloured water, as though a big rock had been dropped into a pool, although they splash in all directions and then form a sphere.  I concentrated on each colourful sphere until it burned white and connected with each other, then I expanded this glowing energy body out as far as I could imagine.  This time I expanded out larger than the planet and attracted a giant clear quartz crystal with rainbows inside.  I became the crystal formation and then sucked in a golden flow of abundance from all sides until I became what looked like a gold aura quartz.  It was pretty intense and the progression of the meditation had its own momentum.  I've done this a lot and I was surprised at the effortless flow it got into.  Even the activation of the chakras was extraordinary: my Anahata (heart - 4th) spread like mirrored emerald trees from roots above and below, Ajna (brow - 6th) was a purple double whirlwind, and Swadhisthana (sacral plexus - 2nd) spiraled and spiraled in a riot of smooth crystalline orange.  Now I think of it, I hadn't done that bath meditation since I began visualising the forms of my chakras for 21 Stones, so I suppose this is a natural turn of events.  I'll have to do more...!

Here is a photo of the stones I placed.  Below are interpretations in connection with positioning on chakras.  From left to right they were:

Kyanite (behind the crown - NEVER immerse in water!) - Used to relax, balance chakras and broaden perspective, Kyanite fosters tranquility and enhances visualisation and foresightedness.

Unakite (Sahasrara - crown) At the energy center of the individual energy body's connection to the infinite, Unakite creates a balance between the physical and spiritual, allowing them to join forces in creating a life that facilitates ones highest good.

Tumbled Citrine (Ajna - brow/third-eye) At Ajna, the energetic gateway to intuitive and inspiration, Citrine is a powerful force for manifestation through visualization.  The muted energy of a tumbled Citrine makes sense here, as it will allow the growth of practice into habit to occur kindly and patiently. 

Raw Citrine Shard (Vishuddha - throat) This is the chakra that has felt the most constricted since I began my meditations.  Vishuddha is the center of creativity and communication, the place from which onea articulates and focuses the imagination, fueled by inspiration, into manifestation.  The rough shard of Citrine concentrates this energy into relentless momentum.

Honey Calcite (Anahata - heart) Used an amplifier of energy, Honey Calcite positioned on the heart allows for gentle acceptance of change and focus of intention.

Apache Tears (between heart & solar plexus) Used to bring up deep pain and sorrow in order to transmute that energy into positive change, Apache Tears used between the heart (acceptance and expansion) and solar plexus (center of will and courage) allows old, out-moded behaviours and patterns to dissolve.

Snowflake Obsidian (Manipura - solar plexus) A gentle counterpart to Apache Tears, Snowflake Obsidian used on the solar plexus (will and courage) opens one to change for the better in a measured, natural way; allowing one to feel self-love and be nurtured during the process of shift and molting.

Yellow Jasper + Carnelian (Swadhisthana - sacral plexus) The combination of Yellow Jasper and Carnelian is an empowering one, especially within the energy center of desire and manifestation.  Yellow Jasper brings a sense of responsibility for ones own choices, clears the mind and prevents regression to old patterns, as well as allowing one to keep a realistic and positive attitude during personal evolution.  Carnelian is a stone that helps illuminate the inner self, stimulate creativity and expression and concentrate positive manifestation of will.

Tiger's Eye (Muladhara - root) At the root, center of stability and physical realities, Tiger's Eye brings a joyful outlook as it encourages wealth, vitality and passion to flow freely.

Online References: http://www.crystalsandjewelry.com/metaphysical_healing/stoneinfo/citrine.html http://www.shimmerlings.com/gemstones/citrine.htm

That was quite a production!  It felt really wonderful to jump into a focused healing right on the heels of a physically manifested energetic block.  It will be interesting to see what the next Manifestation Meditation holds.  Would you like a long distance treatment using a combination of reiki and crystals with your own interpretation, much like the one above? 

Visit my website through the image below or get in touch through dendriablog here on Tumblr.  It doesn't matter how far away you are... I can still see the form of your chakras!

Click through to dendria’s website. Like me on Facebook.

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Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series: Day 3 of 7

Day 3 of 7 - Manifestation Meditations - Acorn

All art & photography © 2012 Leah Cooper

Chakra: Naval/Sacral Plexus (Swadhisthana)

Stones: An acorn - to represent infinite potential.

Intention: I open to wealth and expand my capacity for abundance.  Connect me with my people.

** At the end of each session I will observe the corresponding chakra in my mind's eye and describe its form. **

Observations & Results: So, today's stone was technically a nut... but the symbolism and energy of the Acorn represents potential and growth, which was perfectly appropriate.  I started meditation with the Acorn at Swadhisthana (Thanks, belly button!) and stated the Intention aloud until I felt it had sunk in.  I immediately felt the spiraling of energy; interestingly, it had an airy, open sensation, rather than that of a stone, which being made up of concentrated mass has a more compact and focused feel to its energy .  Next I visualised my orange sacral chakra expanding until it pushed out through my neighbourhood, across the western seaboard and finally over the whole of the earth.  As I could see this energy spread across the landscape, (mostly from a bird's eye view) white figures lit up and began to glow.  These were the people who I was, am and will be connected with on a deep level as an artist, writer, healer, speaker, healer... whatever capacity I have the potential to fulfill.  Today, I wanted to connect to those people and acknowledge my conscious intention to attract and manifest all the sharing of wealth, joy, and benefits to come.  I sat back and watched the glowing masses from outer space, feeling warm, calm and ready.

Over the last two days I have had a realisation reveal itself: it is time to let go of my resistance to connect with others and truly share what I have to offer with the world.  I had been searching for meaning outside myself for a long while, and then spent the past three years turned inward.  I've gotten to know myself, my passions, focuses and life purpose, and now is the time to turn outward again.  Now that I know how to maintain the balance of my inner self, it is time to overcome my fear of judgement and put myself out there...

The meditation lasted about 30 minutes today, since I took my time observing Swadhisthana and then proceeded to nod off while watching its form (the Acorn dropping to the hardwood floor jogged me awake).  My chakra was enormous today.  A colossal orange-tinted translucent sphere, it must have been as tall as a skyscraper.  I was sitting on the ground at its perimeter, the curve stretching out symmetrically above me, and the energy at my belly was such an intense orange that it pretty much obliterated my tiny shape with its brilliance.

Online References: http://ladyonthecoast.wordpress.com/2010/06/04/acorn-history-and-symbolism/ http://www.currentliving.com/articles/acorn-potential.shtml

Connecting with all those in my life past, present and future was a powerful and bold step.  I allowed myself to "presume" and reach out and effect the energetic fields of those people who truly (did, do and will) resonate with me and I with them.  These people are "my people", we love to be around each other, exchange ideas, resources and energy!  It's amazingly empowering to take ownership of this truth.  Who are your people?  Don't let your brain answer yet, try to feel them out there.  What kind of emotion comes up, any flashes of insight or images?

Click through to dendria’s website. Like me on Facebook.

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Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series: Day 2 of 7

Day 2 of 7 - Manifestation Meditations - Honey Calcite + Sodalite

All art & photography © 2012 Leah Cooper

Chakra: Naval/Sacral Plexus (Swadhisthana)

Stones: Honey Calcite & Sodalite - combined for enhanced clarity.

Intention: I open to wealth and expand my capacity for abundance.  Show me my next step.

** At the end of each session I will observe the corresponding chakra in my mind’s eye and describe its form. **

Observations & Results: I've switched up my approach from the last series of meditations, as my focus is now outward expansion rather than inner observation.  Today I expanded my energy out and and allowed permeation by outside energies.  I kept the Honey Calcite and Sodalite at Swadhisthana, chanted today's Intention clearly and confidently two times, and then relaxed into my posture.  This combination of stones is potent, and because I was letting the energy do as it would, I felt an instant spiraling at my belly.  Next, I visualised the energy of Swadhisthana expanding, and allowed it to be permeated by positive agents of wealth and abundance.  This caused an intense tingling sensation and a great sense of peace.  At times I felt I was floating.  For the rest of the session, I rested my attention gently upon the expansion and just experienced it.  By the end of the 21 minutes I had felt an amazing build up and expansion of energy, as well as potential for outside influences to enter the sphere.

The form of Swadhisthana again resembled an orange, as it did yesterday; however, this time it stayed a true sphere and fluctuated between being the size of a cantaloupe and well...  as big as a house?  Sometimes it's hard to say.  In addition to this, an interesting thing was happening to the form, it would suddenly become perforated uniformly all over, as though being pierced with hundreds of awls, forming a small concave funnel around each individual hole.  It would then, with a consistency much like wet paint, push out the little cones and become a sphere once more.  It continued to pulsate between sizes and perforation actively.  There was an excited eagerness the the movement.

I have already had some results!  A friend offered me an awesome leather handbag from his work and two friends asked for my expertise, one in the form of a reiki treatment, the other more along the lines of Feng Shui and art-related skills.  This is some exciting stuff!

Online References: http://www.healing-crystals-for-you.com/sodalite-stone.html http://www.crystalsandjewelry.com/metaphysical_healing/stoneinfo/honeycalcite.html

This time I'm not controlling, but allowing.  I am stating my intention at the beginning of the meditation, deciding a focus for the energy, and then basking in what it brings.  I'm looking forward to seeing more results crop up!  Are you giving expansion a try?  It feels very good... I highly recommend it!

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Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series: Day 1 of 7

Day 1 of 7 - Manifestation Meditations - Rose Quartz

All logos & photography © 2012 Leah Cooper

Chakra: Naval/Sacral Plexus (Swadhisthana)

Stone: Rose Quartz - to invoke love & acceptance.

Intention: I open to wealth and expand my capacity for abundance.

** At the end of each session I will observe the corresponding chakra in my mind’s eye and describe its form. **

Observations & Results: I started off today's meditation by chanting of the Intention as a mantra aloud until it felt had seeded, then allowed my voice to fade out and had the mantra become internal.  Then I let it continue on until I sat in stillness.  From that point on I focused upon Swadhisthana and relaxed into the meditation.  I also imagined the energetic field of my naval chakra expanding outward.  By the end of the 21 minutes I was tingling all over and I took few minutes after the chime went off to continue in the posture.  Then I took the Rose Quartz in my hand and looked at Swadhisthana, which kept alternating between a round orange-like ball and an ellipsis with a rounded middle.  It spun forward, non-rhythmically changing speeds.  I decided to sit with this for a few more minutes.  Altogether my meditation took half an hour and my whole body is feeling a slow pulsing of high frequency vibration, especially my head.  Perhaps it is working on shifting my thought patterns, which would in the case of this mantra, be appropriate.

Online References: http://www.crystalsandjewelry.com/metaphysical_healing/stoneinfo/rosequartz.html http://www.shimmerlings.com/gemstones/quartz.htm http://www.charmsoflight.com/rose-quartz-healing-properties.html

Early on in the meditation, it came to me that I should continue with this current Intention for the next few days, at least.  I will keep this in mind tomorrow.  Today is the first of 21 days where I will not only be describing my meditations, but also observing the resulting outside shifts in my day to day life.

Why don't you try doing this with me? 

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[aumnom]

Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series: Entry 6.22

  Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series

I have created this series of blog posts for people who are interested in crystals and either don't know where to start, or are curious of further methods and insights that can be gained from the study of stones.

For an intended 21 days I meditated for 21 minutes minimum with a different crystal and recorded my observations.

Entry 6.22 - Final Impressions - What Worked & What Shifted

All logos & photography © 2012 Leah Cooper

This past month has been a study in distilling discipline into practice and through to habit.  It has also been an exploration in my chakra visualisation skills.  Finally, I have gained invaluable insights by getting back into meditating almost every day.

First I'll start with what didn't work, and what I've decided to adjust next time around:

The strict 21 minutes of meditation time I allotted myself.  There were quite a few times during these sessions when I felt myself only just open up, or start to fall into a deep meditative state, only to have the chime go off signaling time was up.  I still like the idea of 21 minutes, it's a good amount of time and long enough to be satisfying and to see results; still, from now on I plan to record my starting time so that if I want to continue to meditate I can feel free to do so.  

21 days in a row, in real time.  Now I know it is popular to do things for a month in a row, even 365 days in a row, but in the case of meditation it can be necessary to take some time to process the energy shifts.  Writing an in-depth blog every day was sometimes a time drain, which I could handle, but there were times when I just knew that it wasn't going to happen that day.  It's the same principle as choosing crystals, effortless action is part of tuning into intuition. 

The length of my entries.  I like to be informative and leave little doubt as to the nuts and bolts of how I do things.  In the case of this series of meditations, telling my personal story with a stone and then describing the meditation and the chakra form was necessary; however, explaining each crystal's metaphysical properties was a step that I intend to skip next time.  I strive to make my entries descriptive and evocative, and although I imagine that you, as readers, want background, I'd say the more succinct the entry, the better.  There are plenty of resources and I will provide links in the future; additionally, I will always be available to answer questions.

So much shifted with me during this period.  I was able to:

form a habit of meditating.

enjoy and look forward to meditation and its benefits.

spend a lot of time writing and connecting with my readers.

explore my current energetic cycle and desires.

gain clarity in relation to my current goals.

embrace letting go of expectations and over-interpretation.

practice my chakra form perception skills.

allow myself to be led to my next series of meditations.

Much of what I learned during this time had to do with the dichotomies within action.  I was able to differentiate guidelines and limitations in a more effective way: it became clear that the former allows structure from which growth can occur, while the latter restricts and creates expectations, potentially blocking natural development.  My understanding of expectation versus planning was also an eye-opener.  It was challenging but ultimately freeing to be able to plan and then execute without boxing in my final conclusions with expectations.  Finally, creating a series in order to find answers ended up leading to more questions.  This was at first, hard to swallow.  Yes, each series of experiments over a limited range gives helpful data, but in the area of meditation, spiritual development and energetic shifts, there is never a final conclusion.  Of course, this is true for more than just these areas of study.  We are coming to understand that even science has very few end points. 

As humans it is important to remember that while each individual moment has universal significance to be cherished, the overall journey is of equal import.  Dichotomies can be illogical in this way because it means that there are dual priorities simultaneously ranked number one.  Personally, I think this explains much of our constant seeking, feelings of dissatisfaction and confusion in life.  It also explains our infinite capacity for innovation, joy and gratitude.

At this point, I like to think of myself as living in cycles, that way I can reach conclusions, but still acknowledge there is always more to come.  I just keep asking questions, getting answers and letting them lead me on to the next asking.  In a way it is both a very active and a completely still practice.

What about your interaction with 21 Stones in 21 Days?  Was there something you loved dearly and would insist upon reading again?  How about critiques?  What could I leave out next time around?

Next up, I have two series percolating: 

21 Stones: Manifestation Meditations

21 Stones in 21 Days: Progression of Chakra Forms

The first series I am beginning today, meditating with Rose Quartz on Swadhisthana (naval/sacral chakra) with the intention: "I open to wealth and expand my capacity for abundance."  For the second I plan to go back and look at what I recorded about each of the seven main energy centers during 21 Stones in 21 Days.  From these descriptions I will work chakra by chakra, starting with Sahasrara (crown - 7th chakra), sketching each of the three iterations, and interpret meanings behind the progressions.

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Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series: Entry 6.21

  Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series

I have created this series of blog posts for people who are interested in crystals and either don't know where to start, or are curious of further methods and insights that can be gained from the study of stones.

For the next 21 days I will be meditating for 21 minutes minimum with a different crystal and recording my observations.

Entry 6.21 - 21 Stones in 21 Days - Pyrite

All logos & photography © 2012 Leah Cooper

Chakra: Root (Muladhara)

Overview: Pyrite is famously known as "Fool's Gold". It is an important foundation stone to have in any crystal collection. Working with Muladhara (root - 1st chakra) and Swadhisthana (naval/sacral plexus - 2nd chakra), this stone is powerful in grounding and manifestation; it is even said to resonate with the "Earth Chakra", an energy center that connects one deeply to Gaia (or whatever you prefer to call the physical planet entity upon which we live), allowing free and protected exploration of both the characteristics of our physical plane, and that of the higher realms of consciousness. Associated with wealth and abundance, Pyrite can help unlock the imagination for effective manifestation visualisations, and enhance ones energy and assertiveness. In addition, this stone is invaluable for facilitating physical stamina, concentration, and enlivening creativity and intellectual communication. Approach & Method: Pyrite first came into my life during my childhood in Australia. For the holidays, my family would pack up the van and head over the escarpment and past the Blue Mountains that separated my home village of Thirroul, and the sea, from the Bush. We would travel into our still-coastal version of the Outback and go gold panning with special black plastic "pans" that had curved ridges lined up along the shallow slope of their inside edges. Squatting by and in the water we would gently shuffle sand and pebbles from the creek beds back and forth in the pans until glints of metal appeared, catching the sun. I have found my share of tiny flecks of 24k gold, but more often I would discover something I found just as fascinating: Pyrite. After the hemming and hawing of disappointment that would inevitably occur, I always felt strange dumping the shining, pale slivers back into the creek. Why couldn't we keep them? They were just as pretty as gold. Years later, I still feel the same way, the difference is that I now have proven experience and article upon article to back up this claim. Gold is a conductor, a purifying metal, certainly, but Pyrite is something that provides higher energetic value by far. The imposed lack of value borne by "Fool's Gold" is quite apt. It reminds us that "value" is something we fabricate, it is all perspective based on an agreed upon static point; and as a result, there is no such thing as intrinsic value in the world of commodities and money. Intrinsic value does exist, however, in pursuits that bring us closer to acceptance, gratitude and joyful living. Pyrite is a perfect representation of the latter: it is ubiquitous and not "worth" much, but it is one of the most powerful, respected and abundance-manifesting stones out there. I'm not rejecting our society's agreed upon valued commodities, I'll work with them, but I'd rather be a fool as far as my purpose in life goes. This is a perfect stone with which to end my 21 stones in 21 days. It is extremely common, energizing and ties into manifestation and abundance. This last meditation will be at Muladhara, the root (1st) chakra, and I am excited to see what form this energy center will take by the end of the session. I'm already chomping at the bit to move on to 21 Stones: Manifestation Meditations, which I will begin September 21st, and I can't wait to see how good old Pyrite will set me up for liftoff! ** At the end of each session I will observe the corresponding chakra in my mind’s eye and describe its form. ** Observations: This final meditation was energising, yet deep. I'm yawning after coming out of my meditation closet, but feeling very intellectually alert and still as filled with purpose as I was before beginning. At first I found it difficult to focus on Muladhara, but soon I could feel swirling energy coming from the Pyrite. A few thoughts popped into my head in the first half of the meditation, all centering upon goals to be fulfilled, but each one quickly dispersed. At one point I felt a hot, solid sensation of something that pushed up from my root then rested at my heart. It didn't burn, it just felt toasty, like a warmed through loaf of bread, comforting and distinct. The energy I could feel swirling began to take on a uniform cycle of the spiral and extend down below my body as my body itself tingled and vibrated. Impatience began to rise, it was only in my mind for a moment; instead, I sat calmly, feeling alert but relaxed. When the chime went off, I felt confident and warm, as though I was just beginning the session. I took the Pyrite in my hand and saw the form of Muladhara: a dark, red cone, tip up with its widening base disappearing down into the earth. As the conical shape got further down into the ground it took on more of an organic root-like configuration reaching down and dispersing, and finally it became translucent, as though the chakra was continuing to seep and then drip down through the depths of the ground far below my body.

Online References: http://www.healing-crystals-for-you.com/iron-pyrite.html http://www.lightandlovereiki.com/Crystals/crystals_pyrite.html http://www.shimmerlings.com/gemstones/pyrite.htm http://www.zoultier.com/gem-historical-metaphysic-zoultier/pyrite-historical-metaphysical-healing-properties Well, Dear Readers, thank you so much for following my journey so far. Today's meditation was a great, centering and grounding place to end this particular study. In the next few days I will write about what worked and what didn't, what I learned, and how I shifted energetically and perspective-wise. I will also be doing a series of drawings to illustrate the progression of changes in the forms of my chakras over the three "laps". Finally, be on the look out for my next crystal meditation series, 21 Stones: Manifestation Meditations. This time I will be focusing on Swadhisthana (naval/sacral chakra - 2nd) and using specific Stones in tandem with Intentions (and maybe even Mantras & Tarot cards) to explore how to attract and manifest what I want in my life right now! How about you? What did you learn? Did you do your own meditations with your stones, or just spend some quality time? I always love to hear about it.

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Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series: Entry 6.20

  Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series

I have created this series of blog posts for people who are interested in crystals and either don't know where to start, or are curious of further methods and insights that can be gained from the study of stones.

For the next 21 days I will be meditating for 21 minutes minimum with a different crystal and recording my observations.

Entry 6.20 - 21 Stones in 21 Days - Aragonite

All logos & photography © 2012 Leah Cooper

Chakra: Sacral Plexus (Swadhisthana)

Overview: Aragonite is not only found in the earth as calcium carbonate mineral deposits with iron and manganese oxide variegated bands, is also the material known as mother of pearl, formed by sea creatures using calcium deposits from the water. It fascinates me that actual entities can create this beautiful, earthy substance, and it makes perfect sense that their sustained, concentrated energies imbue Aragonite with the metaphysical qualities of confidence, self-worth and diminished stress. What is better for a frenzied, scattered mood than calm consistency? What strengthens resolve more than successes accumulated in a thousand tiny actions? As you can tell, I'm quite a fan of this amazing stone. As far as I understand, Aragonite works with pretty much every chakra, as it is available in a spectrum of colours, and harmoniously grounding and uplifting. For the most part, Ajna (brown/third eye - 6th), Anahata (heart - 4th) and Muladhara (root - 1st) can all benefit greatly from utilisation of this stone. Effective for focus and concentration, Aragonite filters both inner chatter and outside distractions, centering and allowing for motivation and calm resolve. This centering quality makes this stone very helpful in meditation and spiritual seeking; it can also be invaluable in times of transition when one has need of a firm touchstone from which to draw strength, notice lessons, evaluate and grow. Approach & Method: I will reveal my nerd for all to see here and now: when I heard the name Aragonite, I thought of Lord of the Rings' hero Aragorn son of Arathorn and was instantly attracted to this stone. Interestingly, when you look at what Aragorn represents, this makes a lot of sense. His confidence and constant seeking, in addition to his grace and integrity in times of great change, make him an apt namesake. As for my own journey with Aragonite, I began working with it at Manipura (solar plexus - 3rd) in order to calm and heal my courage center thereby facilitating forward momentum in the area of goals and creativity. Today I will be using the stone on Swadhisthana (naval/sacral plexus - 2nd), and I get the feeling that it won't be the last time. ** At the end of each session I will observe the corresponding chakra in my mind’s eye and describe its form. ** Observations: Today's meditation was deep. I sat down to it with some relief, having had a bit of an emotional crash that day, after weeks of staying even-keeled. I could immediately feel a calm come over me and the Aragonite's deep and gentle vibration flooded through my whole body. A few minutes in, the energy seemed to concentrate at my abdomen in a slow, meandering spiral. Several minutes after that I began to "nod", as I have in the past few sessions. This feeling of lethargy indicates deep healing and movement of energy while the stone activates the subconscious mind, dislodges unconscious habits and works in areas that are "unknown" to me. A few times I found myself leaning forward, almost toppling, before being brought back into a deep state of being close to but not quite unconscious. The chime went off while I was in this state, I brought myself back, and, holding the stone in my hand, I observed my Swadhisthana chakra. At first, it was hard to see. I've found that after these deep sessions it is harder for me to pinpoint a visual representation of my chakra form; in fact, my full understanding of the form came quite a while later as I was laying down for a nap afterwards. It looked to be a disc with the brushed sheen of bronze pewter, whether it was oval or circular, I could not at first determine. Later it seemed that it was both (take that as you will). What I perceived later was its movement. Imagine the disc parallel to the ground as its middle drops out and down to create a funnel-like shape, then it slowly springs back up and through, clearing the static midpoint to form another funnel, this time inverted, cone's peak at the top. This bouncing back and forth continued, almost lazily, with the funnel dropping or raising to seemingly arbitrary varied lengths with no discernible pattern. Even now my body is buzzing so much that when I lay still it's as though there is an earthquake underway beneath me. I actually have this feeling quite often once I start the energy flowing, and in this case it was all the Aragonite.

Online References: http://www.shimmerlings.com/gemstones/aragonite.htm http://www.buzzle.com/articles/aragonite-properties-of-aragonite.html http://www.firemountaingems.com/encyclobeadia/beading_resources.asp?docid=GMSTNPRPRTSRGNT http://www.charmsoflight.com/aragonite-healing-properties.html Today was certainly interesting. I am becoming more convinced as this week goes on that these meditations are necessary precursors to my next 21 Stones series, during which I will focus upon manifestation. In synchronistic fashion, I even came across a reading online detailing that I should ground myself at the beginning of the week and then be ready to launch. That's what it feels like to me. It's strange, but I feel a complete stranger to Swadhisthana... I hardly know how to feel the energy in that chakra. I can feel Manipura constantly, roiling and vibrating above and I can root down through Muladhara pretty much instantaneously. My practice of grounding, begun last summer, is so familiar to me now that I am pretty much grounded all the time. Still, what is between connecting to the physical world and taking the risk of making ones will an action? Swadhisthana. It generates and cradles our preferences, wants, desires and finally, intentions. Do you know what you really want? Do you ever imagine in detail how you want things to be or visualise what it is like to do something before you undertake it?

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Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series: Entry 6.19

  Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series

I have created this series of blog posts for people who are interested in crystals and either don't know where to start, or are curious of further methods and insights that can be gained from the study of stones.

For the next 21 days I will be meditating for 21 minutes minimum with a different crystal and recording my observations.

Entry 6.19 - 21 Stones in 21 Days - Tiger's Eye

All logos & photography © 2012 Leah Cooper

Chakra: Solar Plexus (Manipura) Overview: Tiger's Eye has optimistic, joyful and courageous qualities that propel its user forward producing focus, harmony and abundance. Associated with all three base chakras, Muladhara (root - 1st), Swadhisthana (naval/sacral plexus - 2nd), and Manipura (solar plexus - 3rd), this gemstone is grounding and simultaneously centering. Empowering the will, manifesting desires and working toward spiritual goals are all enhanced by Tiger's Eye as it allows for change gracefully. A protective and motivating stone, it helps clarify goals and imbues actions with openness so as to lead one to genuine fulfillment, happiness and wealth. Financial security, lifting of depression and physical strength are all blessings this stone bestows upon its owner. Approach & Method: Tiger's Eye was another one of those stones that I wasn't willing to give to myself. Always visually fascinating, with its flashes and iridescence, I managed to buy one with my boyfriend in mind. Still, I didn't allow myself one of my own until my mother laid out a table-full of various stones and told me to take what I liked. When I spied my beautiful Tiger's Eye it was love at first sight (you can see from the photograph above that it is a beauty)! You will also see that it has a little cap of Brown or Wood Jasper at the top. I found it interesting that when I looked up the traits of Brown Jasper it turned out to be what is called the "supreme nurturer". This Jasper brings tranquility and unity, as well as gentle acceptance as it strengths self-will, which is a wonderful pairing with the characteristics of Tiger's Eye. This seems quite apt for someone who wasn't willing to let herself possess one of the most positivity-producing and money-manifesting stones in existence. Today I will be meditating with my Tiger's Eye at Manipura (solar plexus - 3rd chakra), the center of courage, personal power, growth and the energetic center where will transitions into action! Sounds great, right? I'm ready to do this...

Observations: This was a bit of a strange one today. I sat for the full 21 minutes, mid-back in pain, aware of my solar plexus, which felt fleshy and definitely there, but I couldn't feel spiraling or vibration as I have been previously. The physical sensations of the meditation were flat, grounded in the physical. At the very end of the session, I felt some spiraling movement for a moment or two, but for the most part it was a very muted, still meditation. Now, as I sit typing, a flow of energy, much like a heart beat is pulsing in my solar plexus and the back of my neck and base of my skull are experiencing a numbing hum. Spoiler alert, but I just started my period, so I'm wondering if the expulsion of old and preparation for new is effecting this meditation. Still, I am of the mind that the timing is perfect. What I am finishing this series off with is a sense of empowering and prepping for moving on to what is next. It is clear to me that Manipura is healthily active and energetic. For the past few weeks I have been feeling movement there pretty much constantly. I think this has to do with the heightening of our overall vibration as humans, which has been accelerating at an exponential pace, I'm sure you've been noticing yourself and everyone around expanding, whether willingly and gracefully, or in a panic. Today there was something focused and concentrated about this meditation, a building up and retention of energy in anticipation of something. This makes some sense when I think of what Tiger's Eye does: it strengths will, and helps concentrate and focus intention. I know for a fact that expansion is coming in my life personally, because I will be spending 21 days meditating on expanding into the unknown, nurturing infinite possibility, and then manifesting. I trust that what is happening now is what "should" be, even if I can't figure out the whys and hows at this moment in time. Looking to the form of Manipura, it resembled something like a golden half of a yin-yang symbol, a curved tadpole, moving in a tight circle. As I watched it, suddenly it would expand, not puff up, but instantly be five times its previous proportion, no longer able to fit within my solar plexus. Its speed didn't change, it was fast, and there was a sense of urgency about its pace. The surface of the form was shiny, non-porous and hard, disallowing permeation of energy from without and escape of energy from within. It felt like a gear, winding up.

Online References: http://www.shimmerlings.com/gemstones/tigereye.htm http://wickedstones.com/metaphysical_brown_tigers_eye.htm http://www.sobrietystones.com/resources/GemBook/Stones/meanings_gemstones_tigereye.htm http://www.healingcrystals.com/Tiger_Eye__Brown_Articles_34.html Today I came away from the meditation a little puzzled, in anticipation of a future unknown action or event. It's a strange feeling, but kind of exciting. I'd love some feedback from women, or men who have knowledge of this subject, regarding meditating during the menstrual cycle. Have you found there is a difference in sensation and experience when the crimson tide (hehe) is high? Well, that's it for Manipura. I feel my resolve is being empowered, and that's always a good thing!

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Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series: Entry 6.18

  Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series

I have created this series of blog posts for people who are interested in crystals and either don't know where to start, or are curious of further methods and insights that can be gained from the study of stones.

For the next 21 days I will be meditating for 21 minutes minimum with a different crystal and recording my observations.

Entry 6.18 - 21 Stones in 21 Days - Malachite

All logos & photography © 2012 Leah Cooper

Chakra: Heart (Anahata) Overview: Green and fascinating, Malachite is a stone that amplifies energy, no matter what form or mood it takes. That said, be mindful of using this stone at times of negativity or confusion. Interestingly, this stone can be used with all seven chakras, although it is most strongly affiliated with Anahata (heart - 4th chakra). It makes a lot of sense that Malachite centers on the heart, it is a stone that brings empathy and deep healing, coaxing traumas and negative patterns to the surface, allowing them to be revealed, taken responsibility for, accepted and finally dissolved. By connecting us with our higher purpose and inner will, this stone brings clarity and revelation, facilitating forward momentum and manifestation of goals. Associated with prosperity, abundance, protection and fertility, Malachite is great for creation, whether artistic or physical. It is a helpful stone to have around during pregnancy and to lessen the symptoms of PMS. As suggested by this gemstone's ability to be used with all chakras, Malachite is an ideal for one wishing to regain a sense of balance, harmony and focus. It also has the ability to connect the user to their oneness with nature, other beings and the divine. Approach & Method: Malachite was the very first stone I picked up last summer in D.C., and I sorely needed its healing properties. It just a few days before I would realise my whole life was on an energetic course change; and that the transition would last until now, a little over a year. Even now, I am just starting to feel a sense of equilibrium return. At first, I was a little intimidated by my Malachite, having read some more overly dramatic descriptions of the stone, so I was cautious and took it slow. The first night I had it in my possession, I meditated with it, and it felt like a seltzer tablet fizzing away on my third eye. I can still feel its energy now, but the bite has since calmed, and it has a comforting vibration. Certainly, Malachite is not a stone to be taken lightly, due to its power to enhance ones emotional state; still, if it comes into your life, you are ready. I have a Labradorite necklace that a friend gave me a number of years ago, and it is totally gorgeous. I expected I would wear it constantly, but somehow I would wear it out once and then forget about it for a month or so. Much of the time I kept it displayed in plain view, but it just wouldn't occur to me to wear it, or it wouldn't work with my outfit... this didn't feel strange or forced. I just hardly wore it. Then, upon my departure for D.C. last summer, I began to wear it constantly, every day, without fail. I was ready for its healing properties, and I hadn't been ready until then. Just as with that necklace, when I picked up the Malachite stone you see pictured above, it was time. Now I feel as though I am in the last chapter of a major cycle. I am opening up. It is now my vocation, my living, my duty to myself, to open up to manifesting the reality I want. It's funny to think so. This time last year, I didn't even know what I wanted in the world, let alone imagine or harness it. Now it's so clear to me that my desires are like images burned into my retina. Still, I have a lot of acceptance and expansion coming up, and it is appropriate that I will be using Malachite to open Anahata today. Let's see how this goes.

** At the end of each session I will observe the corresponding chakra in my mind’s eye and describe its form. ** Observations:  Today's meditation was very challenging.  I spent the first half (at least) of the session, contending with middle back pain.  Being of the mind that physical pain and discomfort is a manifestation of emotional and energetic blockages and challenges, I would say that I am currently releasing guilt, worry and resentments.  This makes quite a bit of sense, considering where I am right now with my acceptance and expansion (Anahata country).  I know that I am getting ready to put my money where my mouth is and execute my new "live without expectation" mantra.  It can feel so difficult to let go of focusing on desired results, and scary to take steps that lead to an as-of-yet unknown outcome.  Still, two crows right outside my window chimed in as I was feeling sorry for myself and reminded me of the nature of the stone I was dealing with (thank you, my friends!); whereafter, I spent the second half of the meditation letting the calm of the stone sooth my pain and open me up.  Perhaps two-thirds of my allotted time had passed when I started "nodding off", began to feel spiraling in my chest, and a gentle, billowing effervescence engulfed me.  When the chime went off at 21 minutes, I thought to keep going.  I knew now that the Malachite was working and could feel it clearly.  However, the nature of this study is experiential in nature, and for the sake of consistency I brought my mind to Anahata to see its form.  The chakra was green, like the darkest shade in my stone.  It took the form of a large, flat disc, edges emerging from my chest and back.  I watched it and it puffed up, like a fugu puffer fish, conical spikes popping out as it reached its limit, expanded to a fat beach ball.  Then it pulled back in on itself, becoming a smooth, thin disc once more.  Continuing to puff up and flatten back down, I sensed it was rotating slowing, almost imperceptibly.  Does this mean I'm on the defensive?  From what I've seen of these conical spikes, they are for protection, as is the puffing up, but the smooth, flat disc, so wide and serene?  I think that if I were to start it spinning it would act as a gyroscope and eventually spin so far and in so many directions that it would create an expanding sphere with great momentum.  Still... that's for another time.  Even now I can feel the effervescent vibration of the Malachite at the back of my head, and my heart chakra feels hollowed out and open.

Online References: http://www.shimmerlings.com/gemstones/malachite.htm http://www.charmsoflight.com/malachite-healing-properties.html http://lipnancy.hubpages.com/hub/9-Healing-Properties-of-Malachite-to-Improve-Your-Life http://www.zoultier.com/gem-historical-metaphysic-zoultier/malachite-historical-metaphysical-healing-properties

The state of ones chakras ebb and flow.  They are in constant motion, effected by each and every nuanced change in our physical, spiritual and energetic fields.  Today it became clear to me that Malachite will be the first stone I use when I begin my new cycle of 21 Days... focused on the Swadhisthana (naval/sacral plexus - 2nd chakra) and manifestation.  I need to clean house, and get ready to expand!  For this next series of meditations, I will make 21 minutes the minimum.  Have you been feeling the avalanche of energetic shifts that have been going over the past month?  Is it a roller coaster with unexpected twists and turns for you, or are you calm and without expectations?

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Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series: Entry 6.17

  Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series

I have created this series of blog posts for people who are interested in crystals and either don't know where to start, or are curious of further methods and insights that can be gained from the study of stones.

For the next 21 days I will be meditating for 21 minutes minimum with a different crystal and recording my observations.

Entry 6.17 - 21 Stones in 21 Days - Blue Calcite

All logos & photography © 2012 Leah Cooper

Chakra: Throat (Vishuddha) Overview: Blue Calcite is one of the rainbow of powerful Calcite stones. This one in particular is linked to Vishuddha (throat - 5th chakra) by colour and property, making it useful in communication, visualisation and gaining of wisdom, whether from within this plane or beyond. Known for its extreme calming and stablising properties, this stone is invaluable for creative endeavours and helps in tapping into and increasing one's will. It also enhances memory, combats laziness, helps with study, and allows clear and effective communication between those with different viewpoints, making Blue Calcite an ideal stone for students. A wonderful stone to use in seeking knowledge and growth, it is said to neutralise overwhelming emotional states in order to facilitate openness to input from any source desired. Approach & Method: A staple for any artist, I picked up Blue Calcite early on. I have used this stone in countless chakra meditations. The example I have is very small, though potent, and as I write this I get the impression that my use of the stone has so far been quite passive. I think this will be a good stone to use during my next 21 Days series, where I will be exploring manifestation. One thing that stood out for me today is that I never knew this stone was used to combat laziness, which is one of the main "faults" I have constructed about myself. The fact that this information is now coming to light is very interesting, because although I no longer think I am lazy, it is helpful to have a stone in my collection for summer days when the heat keeps me sleepy all day or when I'm feeling unproductive. If I had known about the association with laziness earlier, I may have reinforced my ego myth using it. Wisdom has great timing, as always! Today I will be using a wide ribbon to keep the Blue Calcite gently at my neck. Let's see if my summer-sleepy self perks up a bit during today's meditation! ** At the end of each session I will observe the corresponding chakra in my mind’s eye and describe its form. ** Observations: That was a totally sweet meditation today!  As I have mentioned frequently, when my throat chakra wants its turn, it lets me know with soreness, phlegm and aching.  I started the session with a lot of spiraling activity in my throat, and the soreness I have been experiencing since I meditated on Ajna faded away.  A few thoughts drifted in, mostly immediate flashes of what I had been doing today, a lot of thoughts of communication with friends, and a deep feeling of affection.  It felt easy to be unattached to outside sounds, which has been a struggle for me over much of the second week and into this last week.  That was a welcome change!  A while later, my whole body began to hum with a warm vibration and then... I couldn't feel my body at all.  I was a disconnected, floating, energetic being.  Blissfully, I enjoyed the feeling as long as I could, it felt effortless.  It must have lasted only a minute or so and then my hands felt too heavy on my knees and I moved them.  This brought me back to sensing my body, but didn't take away from the joyful, expectation-free humming.  I sat for a few more minutes in this state, whereafter my mid-back started to ache (I've been neglecting yoga and walking in the heat of the summer) and I started to wonder whether I was almost done.  My last minute or so was spent moving my focus back to my throat, which now had a rhythmic, sweeping spiral, swinging wide and flat through my throat in an ellipsis.  When the chime signaled the end of the session, I moved the Blue Calcite to my right hand, as I do each time, and focused on my Vishuddha.  Within my throat, but simultaneously expanding far outside of it, was a shell-like ovoid.  It reminded me at first of a cuttlefish, with its long, oval shape, then it put me in mind of the ship in The Flight of the Navigator, a seamless vehicle with a metallic shine to it.  Impenetrable as a shell, the chakra had a opalescent, blue-tinted hue and it spun mostly forward on its long axis.  Sometimes it would wheel and spin wildly every which way and then return to a docile, uniform rotation.  I decided that I wanted to see inside of it, and it began to spin so fast that the outside looked to be twisting itself into a spiral.  Then I could see the inside: myriad blue Fibonacci sequence spirographs cascading, spinning, floating, somehow in complete harmony, untangled upon and perturbed by the others, but constantly moving and changing and being created.  After that glimpse, the smooth, mother-of-pearl outer hull reappeared.  I call it a hull because it was definitely thick and sturdy, like the thickest part of a clam shell.  There seemed to be a prickling on the outside of the hull, and it occurred to me that the soreness in my throat, a manifestation of worry, hesitation and doubt, was being kept separate from the every-multiplying, wonderful spectacle of creativity spiros doing their thing with the interior.  Energetically, my creativity is being kept safe, and that makes me feel amazing!  As for my physical condition: my throat is still sore, my Vishuddha and the back of my skull are vibrating and, yes, I'm very much alert now!  I still feel a little sleepy, and yawn periodically, but its as though I dunked my eyeballs and the whole top and front of my head in clear, fresh spring water. 

Online References: http://www.crystalsandjewelry.com/metaphysical_healing/stoneinfo/bluecalcite.html http://www.forthejoyofit.com/Joy5_Communication/Joy5_Blue_Calcite.htm http://crystal-cure.com/calcite-blue.html http://www.shimmerlings.com/gemstones/calcite.htm

Today I was given a strong message: no matter what happens on the outside, your creativity is safe, abundant and rearing to go!  This is something I knew, but to see it concreted in my mind's eye was an empowering experience.  How about you?  When you think of your creativity, love, or desires... how do you think you treat them energetically?  Just ask yourself.  Whatever answer comes, that's the answer.  

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[aumnom]

It's coming up!!  get ready to calm it down. and i'm a stickler for punctuation and capitalisation.  this will be an interesting day.

Lovely.

[aumnom]

Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series: Entry 6.16

  Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series

I have created this series of blog posts for people who are interested in crystals and either don't know where to start, or are curious of further methods and insights that can be gained from the study of stones.

For the next 21 days I will be meditating for 21 minutes minimum with a different crystal and recording my observations.

Entry 6.16 - 21 Stones in 21 Days - Sodalite

All logos & photography © 2012 Leah Cooper

Chakra: Third Eye/Brow (Ajna)

Overview: Sodalite is a stone that nurtures authenticity, working with Vishuddha (throat - 5th chakra) and Ajna (third-eye - 6th chakra), and can also activate Swadhisthana (sacral plexus - 2nd chakra). The colours in this stone give the largest clue to its use: blue for communication and creativity, combined with white for connection to higher good and purpose. Sodalite promotes inspiration and creativity, and fosters inner peace and calm, while providing protection. Helpful for work and communication within groups, it is beneficial in the areas of solidarity, loyalty, mutual trust, honest and open communication, and companionship. Invaluable when balancing inspiration with execution, it stimulates thought, eliminates fear and guilt, encourages rational thinking, logic, intelligence, higher knowledge, perception and clarity in order to unite the logical with the spiritual. Excellent for artists and innovators, Sodalite channels both idealism and self-discipline, facilitating your minds efforts to express emotion in physical forms. Approach & Method: My first contact with Sodalite was when I bought a small beaded bracelet for my boyfriend. He is a very logical, ethical and balanced thinker who trusts in science, justice and fairness. In addition, he is also an extremely sensitive and creative artist, making his professions of acting and writing a perfect match. Living with someone such as myself, a (for the most part) metaphysical bohemian, he has at times found his logic and pragmatism frustrated, if not vindicated. Wonderfully, this makes us a perfect match because, while he brings me down to earth, I help him let go. In this vein, Sodalite seemed perfect for him. So, I picked it up for him and (naughty) soon started using it myself. Since then I have procured about three more stones (two of which are technically his; one a deep blue, the other electric, which I will be using today). This stone really has an appeal for me, both as a creative person and through my recent embrace of the colour blue. Actually, they're really the same thing for me. As soon as I began to embrace the legitimacy of a career based in literary and visual arts, I broke my "hate" of blue. This is apt, as blue is the colour of Vishuddha (throat - 5th chakra), the energetic seat of communication and creativity in our physical body. At the beginning of 2011, if I had come into contact with blue in any context, I would dislike it. I didn't wear any blue clothes, with the exception of jeans, and I had basically no blue in my life otherwise. Perhaps I had some blue rubber bands, and there was that eyeshadow I had kept around since childhood and hardly worn for going on five years. Almost blue, but definitely purple was my limit, though who can resist a blue sky...? Still, I was decidedly (and secretly) anti-blue. Times have changed for me, with blue nail enamel, Sodalite, Lapis Lazuli, even an electric blue top that my boyfriend's mother made to wear (and wore) for New Year's Eve over twenty years ago. When I see anything blue, I smile. It's nice to know that we have such a simple guidance system in life: if you "hate" or strongly dislike something... move toward it. That source of resistance is a guiding light. Through and beyond our resistance is clarity and acceptance. So, with that said, tonight I will be meditating with Sodalite at Ajna (third-eye - 6th chakra). I'm looking forward to the insights that will be illuminated as I focus on my brow this time. ** At the end of each session I will observe the corresponding chakra in my mind’s eye and describe its form. ** Observations: It was another extremely relaxing meditation today. At first, I could feel an intense vibration at my third eye that extended throughout my whole upper body. I kept moving my focus back to my brow as sounds outside would pull my attention. Still, it was gentle and easy. Then the sleepiness started and I felt, as with yesterday, that I was falling into a trance. This week it has so far been harder to keep an alert awareness on my chakras, but the openness and relaxation I am feeling can be nothing but positive. I feel I'm getting a message: let it be, let it come through... and so that's what I've been doing. It reminds me of when I was doing my Reiki II course, and my charge was to send reiki back to every year of my life. I would sit upright and alert, focus on the year, close my eyes and usually "wake up" about an hour later. At first I struggled and felt frustrated from "sleeping through" the sessions and even redid some just in case I was doing something wrong. But as it continued to happen and I moved on to the next year and the next, I just came to accept that this was how it was going to be. It got me into the habit of letting go of expectation, which allows not just what is coming through to do just that, but it also opens one up to intuitive insight. Tonight, when I heard my chime go off and realised I was still focused on Ajna, but that I was in an extremely relaxed, trance-sleep state, I let it be. The message of "be open" came through, and I was thrilled to get it.  As for the form of Ajna today, it was a translucent, azure blue pyramid fixed inside a matching sphere, the whole of which rotated calmly and slowly. When I think of the variety of forms I have seen this chakra take, there is a great contrast between them and a progression to be noted. After using Lapis Lazuli (6.2) the two parts of this chakra were separate and distinct colours. Then with Fluorite (6.9) there was intense movement and coalescing. Today I got the impression that my Ajna was very much integrated.

Online References: http://www.shimmerlings.com/gemstones/sodalite.htm http://www.charmsoflight.com/sodalite-healing-properties.html http://www.gemstonegifts.com/stones/sodalite.htm http://www.healing-crystals-for-you.com/sodalite-stone.html Well, that's it for Ajna! As always, my throat is already calling to me with a soreness that began when I started today's session. My Vishuddha wants its turn!! So, my dear readers, what are you taking away from this? I will be doing a more comprehensive wrap up once I'm finished. But for now, any feedback?

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[aumnom]

Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series: Entry 6.15

  Aum Nॐm Crystal Blog Series

I have created this series of blog posts for people who are interested in crystals and either don't know where to start, or are curious of further methods and insights that can be gained from the study of stones.

For the next 21 days I will be meditating for 21 minutes minimum with a different crystal and recording my observations.

Entry 6.15 - 21 Stones in 21 Days - Amethyst

All logos & photography © 2012 Leah Cooper

Chakra: Crown (Sahasrara) Overview: Amethyst is a very useful and special crystal for many reasons. It is known as the "sobriety stone" and in ancient times it was ground up and added to wine in order to ward off intoxication. It is a master healing stone and improves concentration and cuts through illusion to break down addictions and compulsive behaviours; in addition, it provides emotional stablisation to assist in bringing about positive transformation. Used most often with Sahasrara (crown - 7th chakra) and Ajna (third-eye - 6th chakra) in aid of spiritual pursuits such as meditation and connecting to intuition and psychic talents, it is a famously soothing stone. Amethyst may also be used to open Anahata (heart - 4th chakra), facilitating contentment and patience while healing grief and instilling a sense of peace. Utilised for its calming effect in areas related to healthy sleeping habits, it reduces insomnia and is effective as a lucid dreaming stone. Also linked to abundance and prosperity, this crystal is said to attract protection, justice and money. Approach & Method: Amethyst is one of those stones that I had always known about and been attracted to, especially since I've pretty much always been obsessed with the colour purple. I recall that I had at least a few Amethyst necklaces, bracelets and rings over the years, though none remain with me now. Between college and my late twenties, crystals weren't on my radar much. I had random pieces of jewelry, but for the most part wore only earrings. After reconnecting with crystals last summer, at the turn of 2012 I was shocked to realise that with the comprehensive collection of stones I had accumulated, I had not procured a single Amethyst. So, I decided I should find myself one and made the intention to do so. By March I still hadn't come across a likely candidate, but was seeing the purple crystal everywhere and hearing about them from everyone I knew... message recieved, but where was my Amethyst?? Then a dear friend came to Los Angeles to become a Reiki III level master. She had also fallen into being enamoured of crystals recently and in addition she had found a pendulum in her house and had begun working with it. As for me, I had looked into pendulums, but they just didn't call to me. After she did her Reiki III presentation I had all the information I needed: I had gotten an Amethyst card out of the crystal deck from which we chose three cards with the help of a pendulum. It came to me that my first Amethyst would be a pendulum... and it turned out that it was my beloved Tobey! Funnily enough, once I had Tobey in my possession, I started to pick up Amethyst crystals with ease, and now I have a small geode cluster and two small crystals for treatments. Tobey the purple faerie was first introduced to me as I meditated with my newly bought pendulum in a hammock outside the Integratron in Joshua Tree National Park. Now that we know each other well, I wear him every day, he sleeps by my bedside at night, and helps me to place crystals during treatments. His newest charge is to spin energy spirals and direct my hand during crystal healing treatments. As you may gather, Amethyst has ended up becoming an extremely important crystal to me, even though it took a while to come into my life. Today I will be placing one of my small Amethyst crystals on my crown chakra. I can already feel movement at the top of my head. Let's go ahead and start off the last week of 21 Stones in 21 Days! ** At the end of each session I will observe the corresponding chakra in my mind’s eye and describe its form. ** Observations: Talk about calming, I almost went to sleep after that meditation. Today I could feel sensation in just the area of Sahasrara, at first a brisk spiraling, which slowed and then became an intense effervescent feeling of pressure. My mind wandered a little during the session, mostly resting on people and meetings to come; though my main preoccupation during the 21 minutes was the feeling at the crown of my head. Now that the session is done, the sensation is still very intense and almost painful, taking up a walnut-sized area that extends above, through and into my skull. When I tried to visualise my chakra form, it was quite challenging and I found myself losing sense of time and focus, as in a trance. From what I can recall, the shape reminded me of looking straight on at three rings as they intersected in a triangular configuration and then folded into a sphere, and again out into three rings again. They pulled away and expanded out, then pushed back in, moving simultaneously in an equidistant formation. The colour and texture was along the lines of soft, spun lilac wool, pulled across the flat of each ring, extremely ephemeral, like energetic fairy floss (cotton candy).  The configuration was constantly moving, rhythmical as is a beating heart, but irregular, more like the wings of a bird, varying in speed, intensity and range of movement.

Online References: http://www.crystalsandjewelry.com/metaphysical_healing/stoneinfo/amethyst.html http://www.shimmerlings.com/gemstones/amethyst.htm http://www.charmsoflight.com/amethyst-healing-properties.html http://crystal-cure.com/amethyst.html That was an interesting crown meditation, producing a sleepy effect, rather than energising, as with the Danburite (Day 8), or clarifying, like my experience with the Clear Quartz merkaba (Day 1). Still, something about this feels right, moving each week from one sensation to the next is a natural progression; although for now I may not be able to put my finger on any whys or hows. I feel as though the little purple crystal is still balanced on my skull even now... Have you tried placing different stones on the same chakra before? What did you observe? If not, give it a go!

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