#Black Azurite stone meaning

[ask-aliasgar]

Azurite Crystal

Azurite is a stunning blue carbonate mineral that has been prized for centuries for its vibrant color and unique crystal formations. Its deep blue hue, often accompanied by green mineral inclusions, makes it a sought-after gemstone and a favorite among collectors and enthusiasts. Let’s explore the characteristics, significance, and various uses of Azurite. Characteristics of Azurite: Color:…

[justanotherbirdbrain-blog]

Writing about Mines in your Fictional Universe: A Geology Introduction

Hello! I'm Bird, and I am here to guide you on a journey about different mines that exist, what materials are being mined, what those materials might be mined for, and what rocks/what processes might make these areas mineable. I will also touch briefly on the idea of gem quality, the commonness of the material, and what these things might look like fresh out of the dirt!

First things first, lets talk about the what types of things we might want to mine for in a fictional universe! There are a lot of things that are used daily that require mining, but there are a few that I see written about the most: Gold, Gemstones, Iron, and Coal. I personally would love to see this idea expanded on a bit, so lets talk about some mines that would definitely be necessary but overlooked! First one is pretty easy, glass! those beautiful stained glass windows are useless if no one is mining quartz to be made to glass, and I imagine it would be quite a profitable business seeing as glass, in general, was a luxury in ye olden times. The next thing we need to address is Abrasives! want to sand and polish stone and metal? Want to sharpen your blades for battle? May I introduce you to abrasive minerals! garnet, corundum (Ruby and Sapphire), and yes, diamond! Why are we using such beautiful gemstones to polish other things? Simple, even if you are to find a deposit of these gemstones (garnet being one of the more common ones) most of the time they are inclusion rich, ridiculously small, an undesirable color, or all three of these.

Finding gemstones that are good quality is hard, your character will not stumble upon it, pick up the rock and immediately know if the location is good enough to mine gemstones. If you are determined to make it a gemstone mine, have your character hold the mineral up to the sun/a light source and let them be able to see light coming through, though it is considerably thick.

Moving into metal mining! Metal mining is both easier and more complicated to write! Why is it complicated? Because unless it is gold or silver you are unlikely to see the desired metal itself. Why is it easy? welllll, I am going to try to make it easy. First things first, a lot of metals are chromaphores, this means that when the element is present, it will influence the color! Copper is an excellent example of this, old pennies oxidize and turn blue/teal/green, so do most rocks bearing copper! Looking for iron? It will probably stain the rocks dingy and brownish red. Things to note: copper and iron can be found in mineable amounts together! If you do this, iron will be present in the form of pyrite, or fool's gold, this has a nice cubic shape and can be described as such, the copper will typically leave a teal residue or veining across the rock, which in this case will almost exclusively be black to dark gray (Its basalt) but it can be found as the mineral chalcopyrite also (looks like fool's gold but it doesn't make cute crystals). Malachite is also a copper ore, in my experience I have never seen malachite from a mine that has looked like some of the stuff I have seen in gem shops, azurite (A darker blue mineral) can be present also, but again, these are usually very fine grained and would not be able to be used as jewelry, but obviously, in some places it must happen, just much less frequently.

Another thing I will briefly mention is that, if you are writing about metals remember that these metals will require a smelting process to extract a pure metal, this usually requires some other material (For iron, it is charcoal). Also remember alloys! Most useable metals are a mix of different metals to make them harder. This even includes gold jewelry. Last comment about metals, a very interesting plot for a fictional universe would be the use of lead. Lead ore was a hot commodity before we knew it was toxic, the side effects (Being nuts) could really create some tension.

Lastly in terms of mined material, I will briefly mention coal and stone in general just to say, coal is a sedimentary rock, distinctly different from the typical environments necessary to form most gemstones and heavy metal deposits (Yes, there are exceptions). Coal is dark black/gray, which is quite uncommon for sedimentary rocks which tend to range from reds/tans/browns/grays. When coal is lifted it will feel much lighter than you anticipate, which is the polar opposite of what happens when you lift a metal rich rock, which will feel immensely heavy. Finally, Coal will not turn into diamonds in nature, diamonds need mantle pressures and temperatures to form, there will be no diamonds under a coal mine unless there was a mantle derived eruption that got covered in a swamp, that became coal and as they dug they exposed the kimberlite pipe (I mention this because I just read this in a story and it hurt my feelings). Finally, If you want to write about a mine that is definitely necessary but want the content to be pretty low-maintenance, but profitable for whoever owns it, owning a granite/marble/ or really any desirable stone quarry would be perfect.

Now I will move onto what kind of mining exists today, I will not talk about every exclusive mine, but I will talk about ones that are common that are on my radar. First up, the one everyone talks about in books, underground mining. Underground mining is used when you are getting the material from the 'primary'/original source. The rock is rich in copper? Lets mine said rock. However, mining underground is the most dangerous form of mining, there can easily be a lack of oxygen because of insufficient ventilation (That's why people will carry something with an open flame when going into abandoned mines; if the flame goes out there is not enough oxygen and you have to turn back). There can also be lots of collapses due to overhead rocks, enough said. Cave mining is primarily done when the amount of rock above the deposit is too great to strip mine.

Now lets talk about strip mining! Strip mining is when you just mine on the surface, and dig deeper and deeper into the ground to obtain your desired resource whether it be stone, coal, gemstones, or anything else. It truly is less glamorous, but it is safer than digging a tunnel. That said it has its own issues, sure the oxygen is good, and you don't have to worry about the rocks collapsing over your head, but oh wait, the rocks can collapse over your head. Landslides can occur due to the over steepening of sides, excessive rainfall, and most importantly, old faults or planes of weakness that happen to be facing towards the mine (the diagram will help this make sense). Both of these types of mines can also create ecological damage, which can be mitigated nowadays, but then maybe not so much. Namely acid mine drainage, I will not talk much on the effects but a quick google search will give you plenty of information that might be useful for writing.

Now both of these are trying to mine a targeted rock, but sometimes its best to let nature do the work so we can do less. Diamonds, gold, corundum (rubies/sapphires), and garnets all have one thing in common. They are dense! So when erosion happens, and that sediment makes its way into a river, everything will separate based on its density. This is just because faster moving water can hold heavier sediments, and slower moving water will drop those heavy sediments leaving only the lighter sediments within the water. Lots of places that mine the things listed above will pan/sieve in active rivers and streams, or they can surface mine where rivers and streams used to be! These are called placer deposits. There is one setback though, the gemstones will not be perfect crystal shaped, they will be rounded due to being thrown around in a river (like beach glass). These are sapphires, but they have been rounded over time in the river.

Final thoughts, writing about a mine can seem nerve-racking, intimidating, or just something that you want to briefly mention and move on from, but truly I think going into the weeds could really add something to a story! Even if stories are slightly inaccurate about information, I am still 100x more excited to see it mentioned in more detail than to see it as a sentence. Besides it is fantasy, it doesn't always have to be exactly like earth.

[bekkathyst]

Custom Wire Wrapped Necklaces

These are the stones I have available for wire wraps, for those of you who are interested!

If you would like to claim one, please be sure to read this entire post!

So here’s the rundown. Below is a picture with each stone numbered, and below that is the name of each stone, along with the price.

The price includes the following: the stone wrapped in the metal of your choice (sterling silver, 14k gold fill, 14k rose gold fill), an 18″ chain finished with a handmade clasp, and it includes free shipping worldwide! 

You will choose the style they’d like it wrapped in. There are three example pics below. 

Payment is due when the stone is claimed and all the options are chosen (metal, style, etc). PLEASE NOTE - these will be completed in late May 2023. I will aim to have them done before the end of that month. They take a long time to make, please make sure you’re okay with the wait before ordering. I put the utmost care into this and have extreme attention to detail, and when that combines with my busy schedule, it means that it can take a while. I always aim to get them done early, but sometimes it’s not possible. If you are buying one for a certain event or deadline please be sure to let me know when ordering, so I can let you know if it's possible for it to be completed before then!

To claim: send me a message over the instant messenger with your email address, the country you’re in, the stone you’d like to claim, the metal you’d like it wrapped in, and the style you’d like it wrapped in. I’ll then send your invoice and get started on your pendant! :) 

*Note* These are some of my best, highest quality stones! I’ve been collecting (and hoarding, if I’m honest) hundreds of top-quality stones for 10 years to build this collection I can share with you.

Here are all the stones:

Brecciated Azurite - $140

High-Grade Old Stock Ocean Jasper - $140

High-Grade Old Stock Ocean Jasper - $140

Lavender Quartz Facet - $155

Highest Grade Rainbow Moonstone - $180

Highest Grade Rainbow Moonstone - $175

Deep Red Garnet - $145

Watermelon Tourmaline - $145

Blue Apatite - $135

Genuine Spectrolite from Finland - $150

XXL Genuine Spectrolite from Finland - $325

Rainbow Obsidian - $135

Gold Sheen Obsidian - $120

Silver Sheen Obsidian - $115

Silver Sheen Obsidian - $120

Lavender Chalcedony - $135

Australian Crystal Opal Triplet - $125

Fire Agate - $125

Mozambique Rose Quartz - $120

Blue Labradorite - $125

Rare Purple Labradorite $145

Rainbow Moonstone - $130

True Silver Moonstone - $140

Lattice Sunstone - $140

Confetti Sunstone - $135

Star Ruby - $140

Chatoyant Sapphire - $160

Red Rutilated Quartz Facet - $135

Epidote Included Quartz Facet - $140

Clear Quartz Facet - $115

Black Tourmaline & Epidote Included Quartz Facet - $185

Harlequin Quartz - $160

Phantom Amethyst w/ Inclusions - $150

Ethiopian Opal - $155

Rare Genuine Andamooka Opal from Australia (15.8 carats) - $435

Vietnamese Ruby Gourd Carving (22.75 carats) - $425

Cat's Eye Pink California Tourmaline (San Diego co.) (12.3 carats) - $230

Morganite from Russia - $170

Chrome Diopside from Russia - $180

Pyritized Ammonite Fossil from Russia - $180

Dianite (Russian Blue Jade) - $160

Amazonite from Russia - $120

"Blueberry" Azurite Geode from Russia - $140

Uvarovite Garnet from Russia - $185

Mongolian Turquoise - $140

These are the styles you can choose from (I do very minimalist wrapping so the stone really shines through! And the wrapping is super sturdy!) 

Style #1 (prongs): 

Style #2 (symmetrical): 

Style #3 (asymmetrical):  

I will cross out each stone as they are claimed! 

Extra little note: I have some square wire if you prefer that to the round, just let me know!

Thanks, everyone :) 

[vampfairywitch]

Working With Lord Lucifer Morningstar

Why work with Lord Lucifer?

Lucifer Morning Star.  Angel. God. Devil. 

The Light of Venus, The Morningstar.

For many around the world, Lucifer is not a fallen being, damned to a burning prison.  No. For many Lucifer is the Light of Intelligence and Wisdom.   Of liberation from oppression.   Some see Lucifer as an actual spirit to be worshiped or communed with.  Others see Lucifer as a philosophy of personal freedom. 

Lucifer’s energy is that is truth without excuses.  Illumination, inspiration, the breaking of chains and restraints. 

If you feel held back, limited, confined, and you're seeking greater truth and personal freedom. Working with Lucifer may be for you! 

What is working with Lord Lucifer Like? 

Working with Lord Lucifer is an amazing experience.    Lucifer is the inspiration for personal freedom on every level.   This freedom is in the various forms of skill development, learning, removing personal fear, and breaking personal limits and limitations.  Lucifer while believing in freedom is not an anarchist.  Lucifer means illumination.  The spirit of rebellion is Satan or adversary.       While Lucifer can sometimes be very satanic and confrontational, that is not a requirement for powerful and great working with the illuminated one!  While all infernal spirits have vast knowledge, many are specialized teachers.   Lord Lucifer is an amazing teacher in EVERY SUBJECT!    Lucifer, however, does not tolerate laziness!  If you keep ignoring their advice, you will get an earful!  

What does Lucifer like?

Lord Lucifer is the definition of boujee!   Lord Lucifer will love it if it is pretty, elegant, and artistic, but always in good taste.   Most importantly, it is a matter of intent!  If it's important to you, it will interest the ultimate humanist! 

Looking for witchcraft lifestyle ideas that work well for Lucifer? Suggestions for  Alters and Offerings?  We have you! 

Herbs, Scents, Stones, and Crystals that Lord Lucifer likes! 

Frankincense, Myrrh, Amber, Black Pepper, Patchouli, Musks, Rose, Mints, Red Pepper, and Tobacco to name a few scents.  Azurite, Malachite, Copper, Jade, Calcites, Quartz, and things of Blue and  Green! 

Let Darqkrafts inspire your workings with Lord Lucifer! Our Lucifer incense is light and airy.  Frankincense and Myrrh dance with Amber and light masks to create a stimulating, mind-expanding sensation. Excellent scent for passion and creativity. 

Lucifer incense!

Learn more about Darqkrafts!

[movedtoferinehuntress]

⌜ ♥ @elisethetraveller ⌟ ―― Caitlyn ► 𝑀𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑆𝑦𝑚𝑏𝑜𝑙 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑛𝑠 = ❝ 🧸 - Does your muse own any sentimental objects from their past? What makes it/them so special? ❞

Caitlyn wandered around her room with Wolfy, eyes taking in what little she had. Despite her luxurious life, Caitlyn had a minimal amount of objects in her room. The moment they enter the room to the left was shelves of trophies. Several were for her rifle events, a contest every year at the Hunter Pavillion on the outskirts of Piltover. There were also a few for her musical competitions and having the best composition or best sound. None of them mattered though. Vases of flowers and elephant ear plants were by the marblesque pillars, glistening from the sunlight that came in through her window.

There was a little musical box with a ballet dancer on it that would play a cute little song if she wound it up. On the right side of her room was a large dresser covered with pictures of her family, herself, and some of Jayce and herself as well. A large painting on the wall was of several horses running in an open field, with sun rays shining down on black and white horses. "Watch out," Caitlyn offered, waving her hand around the massive map of the undercity in the center of her room, decorated with red ribbons and her work of finding territories or the locations of incidents in search of the truth. Papers sprawled all over the floor and some illegally stolen documents from the enforcer's office that she took without permission. A small picture of Grayson could be seen stuck out of the folders as she walked toward the corner of her room.

"Here," Caitlyn said, as she opened up the glass shelving. "All of these stones, I've collected them over the years," Caitlyn said as she reached down toward one. She picked up a stone that looked like a budding flower of blue, and around it was calcite crystals infused around the dark blue. "This is Azurite, it reminds me of a sort of abstract rose, see," Caitlyn said, pointing at the way the rock formed what looked like petals. "This was one of the first gifts Jayce gave me. I've always been given gifts but never with meaning. I got this when I was sixteen, it was the first gift that someone thought about and put time and effort into it. There were very few people who cared to get to know me and what I liked," Caitlyn allowed Wolfy to hold it for a minute before tucking it back inside the shelving. "I'm quite proud of my rock collection,"

[knightofhylia]

Basic Spirit Contact Etiquette

We’ve all seen some sort of ghost-hunting show in our lives, whether you were an avid Ghost Adventures fan or looking for scary things to watch on Halloween.

Here I’m whipping up a guide based on my 10+ years working with spirits on how to approach spirits respectfully and conduct yourself during contact whether in your own home or another location. This is focused on the types of spirits you may encounter while on a ghost investigation.

Before Contact

Consider who you are bringing with you.  Take into account the location you are going to. If you are in the south investigating a plantation with a crew of all white men it might get a little tense and spirits will probably not like to respond, or respond harshly. Most of the time when shows actually think about this is if they are going to a prison or something and they bring girls to attract ghosts. Think about the spiritual background of the people attending. People of different backgrounds will react to and attract different types of entities. 

Bring an offering. No one wants to do anything for free, so, give a little ‘thanks’ for the spirit's time and energy by bringing a gift. This can be almost anything! Do your research if you are investigating a specific location. Time periods, regions, specific people, and general areas can give you a clue on what to give.  If you really don’t have much info, there are some good (generally) universal offerings. 

Energy

Spirits need energy to manifest like I need energy to manifest myself out of bed sometimes. There are a couple of different ways to do this. 

Candles are a great, cheap, easy way to offer a little energy to the spirits. PLEASE USE CAREFULLY. Make sure it has a stable support such as a holder if its a tapered candle or bowl if it is a pillar candle. Place a plate underneath to catch any wax runoff. I’m not going to go deep into candle colours, but the ones I personally use are purple for psychic boost, white for general and cleansing, black for protection, or blue for insight. 

Crystals and rocks are a very common offering as well. This doesn’t have to be fancy, honestly a little quartz goes a long way sometimes. I personally have a pouch that has my stones for spirit contact specifically that I take with me to help me connect. I’m not going to go super extensive into the meanings of the crystals, you can find that other places, but these are my go to:

Labradorite: good for intuition and heightening senses

Spirit Bomb Quartz: I’m gonna be honest, I bought this mainly because it looked like a kidney stone I had, and it's one of Yusuke Urameshi's powers. But! It’s quartz so it’s always good to have around.

Azurite: good for mentality clarity and receiving messages. 

Lapis Lazuli: My favourite stone <3. Good for connecting with inner guidance and intuition. 

Music is great for bringing in spirits. Music is this incredible source of energy that carries over despite language, time period, or place. We all love music! Music can change a room in a minute. With music you are transported to a different time and place. This is great especially for spirits from older periods as it brings out a lot of nostalgia and emotion. Music also helps you get into the right headspace for communication as well.

Special objects are used all the time in ghost shows. Personal belongings such as jewelry, books, or clothes work well. Toys and crayons for children have been known to get them to come out and play. Things from the person’s time period or hobbies they did can help draw them in as well.

Food

Food is what gives us energy, and that doesn’t change much in the spirit realm either. Some good basic foods to bring are things like bread, fruit, baked goods, tea, or alcohol. I've found unless there is specific trauma around it, most spirits accept alcohol/cigarettes. Consider the time period or region of your location. 

If you are investigating an old house or mansion, what food was popular at the time? What food was popular in the region? Try and give something that is familiar or would be a treat for them. Crack open a cold one for the spirits in your haunted bar, maybe offer up some peanuts or chips to bring the people in. Invite the lady of the mansion some nice tea or cakes and a chat. 

If investigating a hospital/mental ward/prison, consider bringing something from the outside world. From my personal experience there is nothing someone wants more after a long stint in the hospital than a big burger. These people died eating the blandest shit imaginable (if they weren’t starved) so try something they wouldn’t have been able to have before. You don’t have to cook a wagyu beef steak, but cookies or sweets could go a long way in winning the favour of more shy or angry spirits. Bring milk and cookies to the children’s ward for a treat! Give the kids the sugar they couldn’t have in this realm!

What do spirits do with food?

Think about all the energy you put into cooking! All the stirring, kneading, heating, cooling, oils, herbs, meats, water, all has energy that gets combined and condensed when food is made. In my mortal opinion, spirits can feed off of this energy like we eat food. This is why I think some food offerings shrivel quicker. The energy from the cow used to produce the milk is carried down through the milking, pasteurization, packaging, distribution and receiving of one single bottle, gaining more energy each step of the way. Machinery used to make food feeds into that energy as well as the people who make it. You ever buy food and can taste the energy of the overworked underpaid worker who made it? Homemade items are usually the best, but store bought works just the same. 

I also believe that the spirit can manifest to physically eat the food. This could either be an apparition or manifesting in the form of an animal. 

If the food is store bought I might suggest cleansing it spiritually before offering it. 

What to do with the food?

There are a couple options here. The easiest one is just leave it and let nature take its course. Liquids are usually poured on the ground or drain. If you are not on your own property I would suggest other methods such as burying(if it won't harm the wildlife) or (SAFELY) burning. I would use a big fireproof bowl such as a glass or metal mixing bowl (probably best if it’s not the one you use in the kitchen). If you are able to leave it overnight and come back to it, take note of any changes to the food! I like to keep my offerings out overnight but if it is going to spoil or stink then whenever you are done/they are done is fine.

Incense

Fire is an amazing element! Prometheus ain’t getting his liver eaten eternally for nothing! Fire can turn herbs and resins into magic in a flash. There’s a reason incense has been used for centuries in ritual practices all over the world. This can be done with sticks, cones, resins, bundles or loose. If you are going to burn incense PLEASE do this carefully as well.

Herbs and plants I usually burn are mugwort, wormwood, damiana, sandalwood, lavender, and cedar. This can be done either as a blend or individually. These are usually burned on a charcoal disk or as a stick if I can find one. 

Resins are also common for rituals and spirit contact. There’s a reason Christians love to hotbox themselves with frankincense and myrrh. Shit works! These take a little more work so I suggest planning ahead if you are going to use these.

If you’re a cop you have to tell us!!! Ok now that the cops are gone this might sound wack, but in my experience, ghosts love drugs. I have yet to encounter a spirit who did not like weed. I have been told specifically to smoke weed with my spirits to help charge and cleanse them. Taking a rip from a bong invokes all four elements and helps center yourself. I wouldn’t suggest toking up in a haunted mansion, but a sprinkle of flower or kief on a charcoal disk can work as well. Use tobacco wisely as it is sacred to many Native cultures. Use Native grown tobacco and treat the herb with the respect it deserves. White supremacy and capitalism have tainted tobacco to be what it is now. If offering cigarettes, I suggest using the more organic ones. That being said, if you know a specific brand the spirit likes, opt for that one. I would suggest burying this offering as burning it may cause health issues, set off fire alarms, or leave a harsh smell. 

Consider the type of haunting or spirit you are going to interact with. What do previous reports say the activity is?  What type of location is it? What was this land before something was built here? I will briefly cover different types of hauntings and spirits that are common for ghost investigations. This is by no means all-encompassing but I’ve gathered this much from observations.

Active haunting. Classic ghost haunting. This type of spirit is aware of their surroundings to a degree. Usually conscious of the fact they are dead but not always. Common characteristics are:

Footsteps

Lights flickering

Feelings of being watched

Temperature drops

Hearing voices

Apparitions (full body, partial, shadow beings)

Mild physical activity (touching, doors closing/opening on their own, minor movement of objects)

Residual haunting. More common for places of tragedy, this type of spirit is usually not aware of their surroundings and instead are repeating moments of their life. Most characteristics apply from active hauntings to residual as well.  The main difference is activity is done in a pattern. Common characteristics are:

Activity that comes in cycles or patterns i.e. specific times of day/year, specific places

Footsteps

Movement of specific objects

Voices or audio that does is not in response to the living word

Apparitions seen around same place/time

Poltergeist. This is the more active type of haunting. Most horror movies are based on this type. This type of haunting usually happens when a spirit is very powerful, usually angered or annoyed. The spirit is very aware of its surroundings. Common characteristics are:

Apparitions of all kinds

Footsteps

Doors slamming

Wall banging

Intense physical activity (things being thrown, moved, broken, or disappearing)

Physical presence (cold rooms, being able to push or grab people)

Behaviour change  in people (more aggressive, sad, or just strange behaviour in general)

There is a lot of bleedover in regards to the categories, but it is usually determined by intensity and frequency of objects. 

During Contact

Ugh, nothing pisses me off more than people back-talking ghosts when they are trying to make contact. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar folks. Here’s quick do’s and don'ts of making contact with spirits.

Do:

Bring an offering

Announce your presence when you come in and state your business. Be polite and introduce yourself. Spirits are more likely to warm up to you if they know what your doing.

Explain your equipment as you set it up or use it. Show them where to talk on recorders, I can almost guarantee someone from the 1800s probably doesn’t know about REM pods, EMF detectors, and video cameras. Explain using simple language but remember you are not talking to a child (unless you are). Demonstrations of equipment can help you test out your gear and get the spirits used to it. Evidence doesn’t start when you turn off the lights, record as you set up in case curious ghosts have things to say

Thank the spirit when it responds! If you ask for a sign and they bang the wall, thank them! Even if it’s scary stuff like slamming doors it’s still good to thank them.

Don’t:

Provoking the spirits by taunting isn’t going to do shit but get you cursed. Y’all know what I’m talking about. Early seasons Zak Bagans shit. ‘I’m not scared of you! Come out and face me! Show yourself coward! Attack me!’ Okay dude good luck with that attachment!

You are a mere mortal in the presence of something you don’t understand, don’t be an asshole about it. Talk to them like they are people because they probably were once! Talk in a respectful tone and be humble.

Don’t get mad if they don’t respond. Be mindful of where you are and what you’re talking about. If you are asking a spirit about a horrific event, accept that they may not want to talk about it. The type of haunting may not be fit for the type of investigation you’re doing. 

NOT EVERY GHOST IS A DEMON OR EVIL. I’m so tired of every time someone has a negative interaction with a ghost it’s a demon. Maybe they’re just pissed off you’re in their space? Don’t throw around random labels just because you’re uncomfortable. 

Debunking is always good to try but disregarding unexplainable things discourages spirits from trying. Or they may try harder and you might not like what they do!

Ending Investigation

Show your gratitude. Dispose of your offerings properly and thank the spirits for their time and energy. Clean up any mess you may have left.

Cleanse the space.  Everyone likes to cleanse differently so I won’t go into it too deeply. Personally, I like to burn incense and use sound. I find ‘cleansing tones’ on Spotify and turn my bluetooth speaker upside down so the speaker is directly touching the surface. I believe this helps dispel negative energy. Other ways are using a bell, using cleansing water, visualization etc. Take only pictures, leave only footprints type of deal. This is especially important for places of violence or negative energies. 

I advise walking out of the space backwards so nothing can follow you and cleansing yourself when you are done. Too often people go into these spaces, rip the bandaid off the spiritual wounds and then leave. It’s cruel to keep these spirits bound to these places for our entertainment.

Only YOU can prevent spiritual fuckery!

Note: the source leads to an outside blog that is co-run by me. Some of the words may have been changed in this edition, but this is not plagiarism, i wrote both! The URL is randomly generated for now but it is still a legit website. Feel free to check out the other posts!

[themori-witch]

Witchcraft 101: Crystals & Water

When it comes to crystals and crystal care, an important thing to know is which crystals can be put into water safely and remain undamaged. I suppose, in a way, the more pressing question isn’t which crystals can, but rather which cannot.

A general rule of thumb to guide you, is to take a look at The Mohs Hardness Scale [linked here]. Although not perfect, the rule is that anything numbered a 6 or above is generally safe to put into water.

The Mohs Hardness Scale is a set of ten reference minerals (numbered 1 through 10) that are used to determine the relative hardness of minerals and other objects. [X]

Another thing to think about is the water in which you wish to place your crystals. If you are set on cleansing, for example, and want to use salt water as a means of doing so, the crystals that are safe in salt water are different to those that are safe in unsalted water.

CRYSTALS THAT ARE NOT SAFE IN TAP/MINERAL WATER:

Angelite.

Apatite.

Apophyllite.

Azurite.

Celestite.

Fluorite.

Gypsum.

Halite.

Hematite.

Jade (for long periods of time).

Lepidolite.

Lodestone.

Malachite.

Opal.

Pyrite.

Selenite.

Smithsonite.

Ulexite.

CRYSTALS THAT ARE NOT SAFE IN SALT WATER:

Amber.

Apatite.

Azurite.

Black Tourmaline.

Calcite.

Carnelian.

Celestite.

Fluorite.

Hematite.

Kunzite.

Kyanite.

Labradorite.

Lapis Lazuli.

Lepidolite.

Malachite.

Opal.

Pyrite.

Selenite.

Tangerine Quartz.

Tiger's Eye.

Turquoise.

SOME WATER SAFE CRYSTALS:

Agate.

Amethyst.

Aventurine.

Black Obsidian (can crack/break in extreme hot or cold temperatures).

Carnelian (in unsalted water only).

Citrine.

Clear Quartz.

Jasper.

Moonstone.

Rose Quartz.

Rutilated Quartz.

Smokey Quartz.

Tiger's Eye (in unsalted water only).

*This post is not talking about which crystals are safe to be put into elixirs or any liquid that will be ingested. Please do not use this post as a guide for that. It is not recommended to put any stones into drinks or fluids that are intended for ingestion. Please be safe. 

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[my-witchy-journal]

💎Some Crystals and their meaning in Witchcraft💎

Recently I am a huge - like really huge - fan of crystals. That’s why I thought that I will try to write a detailed list about crystals and what they are good for. I hope this little list  may be useful for others too.

Anxiety: amazonite, amber, agate, emerald, herkimer quartz, jasper, lepidolite, lodestone, obsidian, quartz, rose quartz, sodalite, turquoise

Balancing/Stability: amethyst, desert rose, jasper, pearl, quartz, red jasper, sodalite, turquoise

Banish fear: banded agate, bloodstone, sodalite

Banish negative energy: amethyst, black onyx, black tourmaline, danburite, lepidolite, malachite, onyx, quartz, smokey quartz, tourmaline

Calming: amatonite, herkimer quartz, howlite

Clarity: azurite, citrine, fluorite, hematite, magnetite, obsidian, pietersite, quartz sapphire, smoky quartz

Cleansing: amber, obsidian

Courage: carnelian, hermatite, turquoise

Creativity: amazonite, ametrine, apatite, aventurine, carnelian, celestite, chalcedony, citrine, flourite (blue), lolite, jasper, kunzite, opal, sunstone, tiger’s eye, lapiz lazuli

Divination: bloodstone, obsidian, turquoise

Empathy: aquamarine, blue aventurine, chrome diopside, rose quartz, malachite

Faith: emerald, imperial golden topaz, labradorite, onyx, sodalite, variscite

Friendship: ruby fuchsite, rhodonite, turquoise

Forgivness: rhodonite, rose quartz

Happiness: amazonite, amber, citrine, red goldstone

Harmony: moonstone, rose quartz, sodalite

Healing: amber, angelite, jasper, kyanite, malachite, quartz, rose quartz, turquoise

Help in focuse: banded agate, citrine, lodestone

Hope: blue aventurine

Indivituality: malachite

Inspiration: amazonite,amethyst, ametrine, blue chalgebony, blue goldstone, carnelian, citrine, garnet, orange calcite, quartz

Joy: amazonite, citrine, labradorite

Love: angelite, citrine, desert rose, dragon blood jasper, garnet, jade, opal, quartz, rose quartz, ruby, turquoise

Loyalty: dalmatian stone, turquoise

Luck: amazonite, amber, apache tears, aventurine, sapphire, turquoise

Meditation: emerald, herkimer quartz, quartz, sodalite, turquoise

Mind: pyrite, sodalite

Passion: carnelian, garnet, ruby

Peace: amazonite, amethyst, emerald, larimar, lepidolite, rose quartz, selenite, sodalite

Positive energy: amber, apache tears, calicite, citrine

Protection: amethyst, black tourmaline, hag stone, kunzite, obsidian, smoky quartz, tiger’s eye, tourmaline, turquoise

Prosperity: amazonite, aventurine, citrine, jade, moss gate, pyrite, ruby , tiger’s eye

Psyche: black tourmaline, calcite, emerald, labradorite, tuquoise

Psychic: chalcedony, unakite

Relieve stress: blue calcite, herkimer quartz, lepidolite, quartz, sodalite

Self-confidence/Self-esteem: amazonite, amber, ametrine, black tourmaline, chrysocolla, garnet, larimar, pearl, prehnite, rhodonie, rose quartz

Serenity: emerald, lepidolite

Sleep: amethyst, emerald, howlite, ledestone, sodalite

Strenght: amber, hermatite, red jasper

Success: amazonite, pyrite

Tranquility: emerald, lepidolite

Trust: onyx, ruby fuchsite, sodalite, turquoise, variscite

Vitality: carnelian, garnet, orange calcite, red agate, ruby, ruby zoisite, sunstone,

Wisdom: tiger’s eye, sodalite

Wealth: aventurine, citrine, green calcite, jade,malachite, pyrite, tiger’s eye, tree agate

In the future I’ll expand the list when I find enough new and useful information. I hope this little post will help someone. 😊

[lostwithoutyouherewriter]

Saleta, Princess of the Galaxy! (Excerpt, Sonally Romance)

A trillion points of neon light were dancing above her, traveling the intricate network of a dying alien mind. Standing in the midst of such infinite possibilities, however, all Princess Saleta could think about was one lonely hedgehog who had crash landed into her life.

Her handheld computer pulsed, the screen flickering blue. Sonik’s biometric readings were easily picked up by NICOLE, even in the chaotic markets that had sprung up inside the severed head of Car-Heem the Collector. What had once been the skull of a colossal intellect was now overrun by the scum of the universe, and if this mission had not required their presence, Saleta would have been lightyears away.

Brushing aside her wild auburn hair, she caught the unfriendly eyes of strange alien merchants and the deadly badniks that served them. A viridescent Bem was tapping away at her computer keys, perhaps alerting a few poachers to the presence of a rare Mobian in black and orange spandex. While being hunted down like an unevolved animal was a disconcerting prospect, the princess was more disturbed by the eyes that traveled up her sleek orange boots and womanly curves, gazing upon the plunging neckline of her suit and the brown fur of her chest with twisted desire.

The sooner they found the Power Stone, the better.

As Saleta moved past these unnerving creatures and their robotic drones, she realized the software that was tracking Sonik had become redundant. She could clearly sense his psi-patterns coming from the district ahead. He was hurting, like so many other souls in this galaxy who had lost their homes to Robolactus, and he was losing control of his powers.

A calm, methodical voice spoke into her earbud. “It would appear our good friend Sonik has taken over an establishment with his psycho-kinetic energy. Perhaps we should check on him before he draws unwanted attention to our mission.”

“Yes, NICOLE, I am aware of the problem,” said Saleta, more annoyed with herself than the predictable calculations of her loyal machine. 

She knew something was wrong with Sonik when they departed Deep Space Freedom last week, but her thoughts had been so preoccupied with the task ahead of them. Robolactus already possessed the Time Stone, using its mystical powers to unravel their past victories and devour planets her team called home. If he acquired the Power Stone, there would be nowhere to run, no place to hide in this entire galaxy. And if that monster devoured her home planet, she would soon be the Princess of Nowhere.

Still, she had neglected the well-being of her fellow teammate, and now the mission was the furthest thing from her mind. Now she simply wanted to comfort him.

“Princess, I am detecting an increased heart rate and body temperature. You appear to be exhibiting signs of sexual attraction. Would you like me to run simulations to determine the optimum means of seducing Sonik?”

“Shush,” said Saleta, tapping the sleep button on NICOLE before the computer could make things more awkward than they needed to be. Besides, those readings could simply be a reaction to her present environment. There was no telling what type of drugs these aliens were peddling. Azurite accelerants, Xorda gene enhancers... any one of these recreational substances could be giving off trace amounts of animal pheromones. She was simply caught in the crossfire of chemical transactions.

Sure, keep lying to yourself, girl. Whatever helps you sleep alone at night.

Lost in thought, Saleta nearly fell victim to a robotic plant snapping away at her orange cape. She pulled back and rescued her costume from the Krudzu, blinding the mechanical weed with a concentrated photon blast.

The Krudzu whined sharply as it recoiled from her attack, and Saleta soon found herself face to face with an angry plant merchant. The creature chittered at her through a mouthful of tentacles, but when he noticed the princess holding her smoking finger at the ready, he slinked back to his stall without further argument.

Good. She didn’t want any more trouble. If the psychic waves coming from the nightclub district were any indication, there would be plenty of that waiting up ahead.

Following the trail of power, Saleta was fascinated by the changes taking place around her. The potted Krudzu was only the first of many. Now, a whole patch of the killer weeds were staring back at her from a massive garden, which served as a centerpiece to the seedy bars and pleasure dens of this district. Gorgeous blue women welcomed spacefarers into their chambers, doorways surrounded by miracle plant flowers. Dazzling liquids were shaken and mixed beneath exotic Mobian redwoods, remnants of a desolate planet that must have cost a fortune to procure. And all the while, this complex ecosystem of sin and flora imitated the branching nerve cells of Car-Heem, making the sign hanging overhead all the more appropriate.

The Great Neuron Forest. Why does that name sound so familiar?

She would need to reflect upon this strange sense of déjà vu later. Jarring sound waves were mixing with Sonik’s psycho-kinetic energy, causing the patrons outside the bar to stumble about. The princess herself struggled to maintain her balance in stiletto heels, casting a light disc to the side for support. She leaned on the disc, sweeping back her disheveled hair to get a better view of the chaos awaiting her.

It would seem chaos had chosen a handsome agent to do its work. An agile hedgehog in black spandex who was now leaping from table to table, strumming an electric guitar as a band of robots backed him up. Saleta could feel his powers rippling through the air, hypnotizing every drone in the bar to join his act and sing the words of an ancient tune.

It's my own design, it's my own remorse

Help me to decide, help me make the most

Of freedom and of pleasure

Nothing ever lasts forever

Everybody wants to rule the world

As Sonik continued to sing, Saleta felt her desires rekindled. He was a serious hunk, and she often wondered how agile he would be in bed. More importantly, though, she sensed his raw emotion in every lyric. His loneliness, his loss, his rage against the master of machines. He may be trying to look cool, as usual, but she knew that deep down he was hurting.

The princess sighed. It was time to bring Sonik back to reality, and she was the only one who could reach him. She marched up to the bar, the tap of her stiletto boots warning all in her path that she meant business. She had nearly passed the mighty redwoods when she felt eyes upon her once more.

Saleta whipped about, certain she had seen a horned creature with red eyes watching her from the shadows. Raising her hand, she bathed the pleasure gardens in mystic light, only to find an empty alley running alongside the bar.

Someone or something had been watching her, and the eyes were not just unfriendly. They were bloodthirsty.

But the creature was gone now, and she had more pressing concerns waiting for her inside the nightclub. If Sonik or the badniks got out of hand, they could be facing a diplomatic disaster that would only further the cause of Robolactus.

Princess Saleta tightened the straps on her gloves and strode past the flickering sign of this establishment. She would need to keep all of her wits about her inside the Flying Battery Zone.

Continue reading on AO3! [Warning: NSFW, Sexual Content]

[a-world-in-grey]

Galahdian Gemstones

@secret-engima because headcanons (and I’d like your input on gemstone selections). Two sections - headcanons on Clan Stones, and some history stuff.

-Clan Stones.

-Like Clan Colors, each Clan has a gemstone or pair of gemstones that identify them. These stones are worn in their Clan Braid, usually the first bead in the braid (though some Clans wear theirs at the end, like the Ostium joiners or the Furia), followed by personal beads.

-Certain Clans do share one of their Stones, but each Clan has at least one of their stones unique to them and them alone that serves as their main Clan Stone. So, from the top to the bottom (not including pictures because this post is long enough):

-Altius: Chalcedony/Sunstone. There aren’t very many grey gemstones, but grey Chalcedony is very pretty, especially when banded (striped). For an orange stone, I headcanon sunstone because of my hcs of them being blood of Ifrit’s Blessed, and because it’s a very pretty gem. I headcanon sunstone being their main Stone, because they are one of two Clans that have Orange as a Clan Color. (Second choice for the Altius grey stone would be grey moonstone, without the blue sheen, to contrast the sunstone.)

-Arra: Alexandrite. The Arra are one of the Clans to have a single stone that represents both of their Clan Colors, as alexandrite (though in-verse it’s probably called something different) changes color from green to purple depending on the type of lighting. A suitably subtle gem for a subtle Clan.

-Bellum: Carnelian/Dumortierite. Dumortierite is a pretty blue stone that I chose because of the name - dumortier is a French surname meaning death, though the in-verse name is likely different. Carnelian is their main stone since they are the only Clan with Red as a Clan Color (primary or secondary), and every Bellum is willing to Throw Hands at the drop of a hat.

-Bestia: Chrysoberyl. Again, probably a different name in-verse, but this pretty stone comes in both yellow and green. The yellow is likely their main Stone.

-Canere: Sapphire. Specifically color changing sapphire, which like alexandrite, changes color in different light. Color changing sapphire changes between blue and purple.

-Carduus: Moonstone. Blue moonstone is a silvery-grey stone with a blue sheen, representing both the Blue and Grey colors of the Carduus, as well as harkening back to their original Secondary Color of Silver. (My second choice for them would be Labradorite, which is a dark-grey stone with flashes of blue and green, though blue is the most common and what the Carduus would reserve for their beads.)

-Furia: Pearl. Pearls come in a variety of natural colors, though as a rule they tend to be fairly pale. I headcanon that the Furia are the only Clan to wear pearls as hair beads, and few outside the Furia wear pearls as jewelry, most of them being Lazarus, Arra, Praesidium, and the occasional Canere. Furia wear orange and blue pearls as their Clan Stones, and make quite the profit selling the white and pink pearls to the Mainland. 

-Khara: Purple/Yellow Jade. Purple jade (known as Turkiyenite) is only 40-60% jadeite and so not technically classified as such. However, this is fiction so we can do whatever, and it’s very pretty. The purple jade is their main Stone.

-Lazarus: Citrine/Quartz. Quartz comes in a variety of colors, including grey. Citrine would be their main Stone. (Alternate grey stone would be chalcedony, which they could feasibly share with the Altius, since chalcedony is really common.)

-Ornata: Lapis Lazuli. While mostly blue, lapis lazuli is known for its gold flecks. (While I really like this stone, I know it’s not necessarily a perfect fit, so another option could be topaz - which comes in both yellow and blue varieties.)

-Ostium: Tanzanite/Onyx. The Ostium are one of the only clans that place their Clan Stone at the end of their braid - the black onyx joiners are the hallmark of the Ostium Clan. Onyx also comes in green, which is what Ostium Braincells wear to designate that they’ve got an Ulric to cluck after.

-Praesidium: Azurite/Malachite. These two stones often form near each other and mixed together, resulting in a pretty and vibrant blue and green stone. Praesidium are the only Clan to have two Clan Stones they are known by, with azurite and malachite being worn in equal amounts alongside the azurite/malachite mixes.

-Tibiae: Quartz/Emerald. Contrary to what one might think, emerald is actually this Clan’s main Stone. Because that Clan needs a warning label, and it’s the only one they are going to give you. (Other options for green stones could be chrysoprase or peridot. Could also use chalcedony or grey moonstone for grey stones.)

-Ulric: Onyx/Charoite. Ulrics share onyx with the Ostium, the latter wearing it after picking up the Black Clan Color from the Ulrics. However, the Ulric main Stone is charoite. (An alternate purple stone is amethyst, but I think charoite is prettier and generally prefer semi-precious stones to precious stones.)

-(Astrum: Obsidian/Heliodore. Differing from the other Clans in that their Stones come from the Lucian mainland. Their main Stone is their obsidian joiner, similar to the Ostium.)

-History headcanons!

-Galahd is rich in gemstones and metals. Much like real-life Myanmar, Galahd has just about every kind of gemstone imaginable, with the exception of diamonds (which Galahdians don’t really wear anyway).

-As such, before the Burning it is very common for every Galahdian to wear precious and semi-precious stones for their braids and jewelry.

-Now, I headcanon that before Lucis folded Galahd into the Empire, mining was not a huge business in Galahd. Oh, it was definitely a viable profession, but the Clans didn’t use a lot of gemstones, and generally weren’t picky about what they did mine up. The best quality went to making beads, and the rest went to jewelry.

-After being ‘conquered’ by Lucis, well. Wealthy Lucians were highly interested in the ‘untapped resources’. Now, depending on how dark you want to take things, this could go a couple different ways. We’ll start with the least nasty, because why not.

-First possibility is that Galahd is able to dictate the trade of Galahdian gemstones. They present a selection for sale, and the Lucian traders buy what they want. Trying to pressure the Galahdians into offering more/higher quality Does Not Happen, because the first attempts are shut down hard by the Galahdians and the Crown slaps down any armed hostilities from breaking out because We Do Not Fight The Jungle Children FOR THE LOVE OF THE SIX. This likely results in some resentment from the Lucians and wariness from the Galahdians, but nothing too drastic.

-Second possibility, still fairly light, but a bit darker, is that the Lucians’ offers for high quality gems drives local prices up, making it harder for Galahdians to sell/buy their own gems. As such, local gems become much more scarce, until they are almost exclusively reserved for Clan Beads. This scenario is going to breed a fair amount of resentment from the Galahdians towards the Lucian mainland, specifically the nobility/wealthy.

-Third possibility, which is very dark, is that Lucian corporate interests manage to get a foothold in Galahd, and begin large mining operations - either with their own Lucian workers or with locals. Lucian workers would be paid more, lured by a promise of making money, but clashes between the workers and locals would be higher. Galahdian workers would likely be paid far less, and oh boy would that breed it’s own resentment, but there would be less possible conflict between Galahdians and Lucians, other than overseers management. This is going to breed a lot of resentment, to the point of possible outright rebellion from the Galahdians.

-Then we have Niflheim occupying Galahd. And things get a whole lot worse. Because Niflheim is only going to see the potential profit from Galahd’s gemstone resources and won’t care how they get it.

-In the darkest scenario, take that third possibility, and crank it up to eleven. Large scale environmental destruction, forced work in the mines, and pittance pay. Exploitation at its worst. Galahdians likely had to hide their Stones or have them confiscated by Niflheim overseers and sold overseas, and you can bet the Nifs would dig up the Galahdian dead just to get at those beads too. The Galahdians wouldn’t be allowed to keep any of the stones they mined either. Not even the inferior quality stone unsuited for jewelry - Niflheim would have dumped it in the sea just to spite them.

-(Look, there’s a reason Galahd hates Mors for pulling the Wall and leaving them to Niflheim’s ‘mercy’. There’s a reason the Galahdian refugees can’t go home, even after almost twenty years post-Burning. There’s a reason so many refugees left, even before the Burning. Why so many chose to fight for a mainlander king. Why so many Betrayed Regis when he surrendered to Niflheim. Why Luche and the others took Niflheim’s deal.)

-During the Occupation, there was probably resistance and rebellion everywhere Niflheim turned, until they decided to cut their losses and Burn it all. (Perhaps they were losing too many workers. Or perhaps they’d exhausted the mines and didn’t care to look for new ones.)

-In Lucis, any refugees likely had to sell their Stones just to survive. Those that didn’t wouldn’t be allowed to wear them if they lived in Insomnia, because of the Sumptuary Laws or for fear of being arrested on charges of theft. (And even if the charges were dropped, many of the stones confiscated as ‘evidence’ were coincidentally ‘lost’.) For those that lost their Stones, replacing them is near impossible - either they are too expensive, impossible to find, or in most cases both.

-Which is when carved and painted wooden beads become the norm.

[deathonyourtongue]

You Mean the World to Me

Summary: The house feels like a tomb. Three years to the day, you stand in front of the mirror, smoothing out your black silk blouse and spraying down a flyaway or two with a touch more hair spray. Pairing: Henry Cavill x Reader Word Count: 4K Warnings: HEAVY angst. Non-fappable Smut. A/N: Remember when I said this one would get better? I lied. The song for this one is: Freya Ridings - You Mean the World To Me

The house feels like a tomb. Three years to the day, you stand in front of the mirror, smoothing out your black silk blouse and spraying down a flyaway or two with a touch more hair spray. You double-check that your mascara is waterproof, and that your lipstick isn’t on your teeth. 

With a deep, shaking breath, you force yourself to look in the mirror, knowing appearances matter today. It’s why you asked Henry to tie his hair back and trim his beard, if only a little. Though the gathering itself is private, you know better than to think your husband won’t be photographed on the way there and back, despite all effort being made to keep things secret. 

After all, Henry hasn’t been photographed since landing at Heathrow all those years ago, and the public is voracious in its curiosity. 

You give a soft smile to his reflection as he steps up behind you, looking dapper in an all-black suit. Nearly back to the size you remember him being, the only indicators that things have changed for Henry, are so subtle most wouldn’t even notice. Fine lines map the grief on his face, connecting seamlessly to the fetching swaths of gray in his hair, and ink stains beneath his azurite gaze mark the innumerous sleepless nights and long, taxing days. It’s the emptiness, however, that shows the true extent of the damage. Smiles no longer reach his eyes, if they manage to present themselves at all. Words are carefully selected and thoughtfully spoken in a soft, hushed tone that lacks any true animation. 

The man you knew, the one who brought light to every room he entered, has been extinguished and all that remains are the pieces of a heart battered to a pulp by a cruel fate.

No matter how barbaric life has been towards him, however, one thing it has never taken is his gentility. Though Henry goes through the motions in every other area of his life, with you he is painfully tender, doting, and attentive. He goes out of his way to ensure you want for nothing, and he’s never short on the little gestures that move mountains. Each morning you’re awoken with a kiss, and each night he makes sure the sheets are wrapped up around you just how you like. He does everything around the house, leaving you free to heal in your own time, never once so much as asking for help. 

For all the gentleness he exudes, below it lays the torment, and each day it rises, drowning Henry slowly. Just as you notice the tenderness with which he treats you, it’s hard to miss the way he neglects himself. Aside from maintaining his physique (something you’re almost certain he does solely for the benefit of friends and family), he’s given up on almost everything he had a passion for. Figures sit in their original packaging, waiting to be painted. The TV is rarely switched to something he enjoys, forever tuned to your channels instead. Books gather dust, and his riding gear has long been stored away in the recesses of a closet somewhere in the house, never to be seen again. The only thing he still takes a smattering of time to enjoy are his games, and you don’t need to ask to know the ‘why’ behind it. Even a drowning man needs to shut his brain off, and slipping into another world is the easiest way to do so. 

“Ready, my love?” He whispers, your heart breaking all over again for him as you take in the thin line of his lips, pressing tightly into a smile against what you know is a clenched jaw. Henry’s always on the brink of tears and it’s more than evident how hard he fights it for you. 

Today will be harder on him than anyone else, as he never got to say goodbye. Never got to hold the daughter he helped create. Never truly got to grieve her loss. It makes you feel selfish in comparison, though he would never accuse you of such. 

He holds up your black blazer for you to slip your arms through, his hands careful and gentle as they smooth the material over your shoulders. You close your eyes as he opens his mouth to speak again, knowing what’s coming. 

“You look beautiful, darling.” 

It’s hard to understand why he even still cares for you after everything you’ve put him through and the guilt threatens to cut off your air as you turn and gaze up at the man you love more than anything. Straightening his tie, you shake your head, frowning. 

“You don’t need to say nice things to me. Not today.” Lip quivering, you rest your hand over his heart for a moment before walking out of the room, giving Henry the privacy you know he needs to compose himself. His tell is the small vein next to his eye, one that only strains when he can no longer bear to fight. You wish you could make it disappear forever, but you don’t know how. He won’t let you in, won’t let you carry even a pocketful of the load he’s been hauling for years; the weight that’s slowly sinking him past the point of no return. 

Clutching your own heart as you hear him turn on the faucet to mask the sounds of his tears, you wonder, not for the first time, if this gathering won’t be the straw that breaks him for good. Breathing deeply, you fight your own heartbreak, willing yourself to be the rock for once. 

Henry grips your hand tightly in his as you and the rest of the attendants walk briskly through the gates of Brompton, ignoring the cries of photographers, all clamoring to get their first pictures of Henry in three years. His brothers shield you both from the brunt of it, but it still leaves you feeling dizzy and out of sorts, even when you reach the relative privacy of the chapel. 

After regrouping, your small gathering of friends and family head towards the gravestone Henry’s mother had dutifully commissioned and overseen the installation of. Neither of you had any input, you because of the condition you were in, and Henry because he couldn’t even bear to hear it spoken of without having a full panic attack.

Though appropriately small, the onyx headstone brings tears to your eyes immediately, due to the detail in the angel that lays atop it, the artist having mixed the gray stone statue seamlessly with wispy clouds at the top of the polished black granite. It’s the first time you’ve seen your daughter’s name written anywhere, and it instantly knocks the wind from your lungs, leaving you wobbling. 

Henry’s strong arms hold you up until you can find your footing again, tucking you in close to his side as any hope of being the strong one, of fighting against the painful memories is lost. Crying softly into the lapel of his jacket, you wonder how he’s able to hold it together, until you remember that he’s had three years of practice, three years of putting his pain dead last in the list of priorities. Still, it’s impossible to miss the tremor in his hands and the subtle rocking of his body as he valiantly picks up the fight you’ve already lost.

None of the speeches reach your ears, your eyes focused entirely on the gravestone, your mind replaying the sole image of your daughter in your thoughts over and over again. Gripping Henry’s suit tightly, you remember how serene her face was, how perfectly formed in every way she had been; how much you yearned for her to take her first breath and let out a cry. 

As the ceremony ends and the small crowd begins to disperse, you feel Henry pull away, handing you off to one of his brothers with an encouraging nod and words you can barely make out. You don’t fight it, no matter how much you wish he’d let you stay, let you into his grief. If nothing else, he’s earned the right of saying goodbye to the daughter he so longed for, the one he never got to meet, in private. Looking over your shoulder, fresh tears stream down your face as you watch your husband fall to his knees. His scream is silent, one hand gripping his own head in a vice, the other clutching the headstone as though it were a life preserver in a raging sea.  You’ve never seen a man more broken and for the first time, you wonder if Henry will survive this at all. One thought runs through your head on repeat as you’re ushered into one of the black sedans in the small convoy.

He didn’t deserve this. None of it. It was all your fault. 

In the days that follow, Henry’s doting becomes almost unbearable. You walk on eggshells around him and he cares for you like fine crystal, both of you terrified that the other will shatter, never to be repaired. Yet, despite your reticence to be looked after, your growing anger that he won’t let you help in any way, you can’t, in good conscience, keep him from carrying out his daily rituals, knowing it’s all he has. 

Henry treats each kiss from you as though it will be his last, lips lingering on yours just a little longer than necessary. When you hug, it’s as though you’re imbuing him with just enough energy to make it through another day. You quickly realize that aside from you, he has nothing tethering him to life. Despite his family being ever caring and concerned, despite friends doing their best to rally around him, it seems as though Henry is simply waiting to draw his last breath, waiting for his heart to finally give out under all the pressure. The only reason he doesn’t let go is because you’re still here. You wish once more that he would just give over some of his pain, allow himself some small relief, no matter how quickly it came and went.

You catch him crying silently at his computer one morning, his favorite game paused in favor of gazing out the window. Breaths shallow and scratchy, it’s as though each inhale lacerates his windpipe. It’s an image you know will be burned into your memory forever, and before you can stop yourself, you’re pulling him into your arms, holding fast as he does his best to wrestle out of your grip in order to wipe his eyes and pretend like everything is fine. 

“What’s the matter, love?” He asks, his voice that of a drowning man, Henry managing to push you far away enough to see your face. The fear and shame in his eyes startles you, but it’s the smile, so tender and compassionate that plunges the knife straight into your heart. 

“Stop this.” You beg, your own tears falling furiously as you cup his face in your hands, despairing when his eyes soften and the kindness in them focuses directly on you. 

“I’m okay, my love. I promise.” Even as he says the words, Henry’s face crumples and the floodgates finally give way. All the fight leaves him and his body goes limp in your arms before every muscle tenses back up as though made of stone.

You hold him tightly as it all comes rushing out, Henry’s keening wail muffled against your sternum, his anguish palpable in a way you’ve never experienced before, even on the night your memory came back to you. 

“Why?” The question leaves his lips like a mantra and at first, you think he’s just asking rhetorically, but when he manages to look up at you, it’s clear he wants an answer. 

“Why did you go through it all alone? Why didn’t you have them call me?” Henry says between gasps for air, his chest heaving as the hurt comes through full force. The realization that he went through three years’ worth of suffering without ever truly knowing why, hammers the knife back into your heart and leaves you momentarily speechless.

“It was my responsibility to keep her safe and I...I failed,” you whimper, the pain simmering through every inch of your chest. “It was the one thing you wanted more than anything, Henry, and I fucked it all up. It was my fault. It was all my fault!” 

He crushes you to him, shaking his head, unwilling to accept the answer as fact. You sob into the crook of his neck, the same panic you’d felt that night coming back in breathtaking speed. Henry’s tenderness radiates in waves, and while his own tears don’t slow, his body relaxes some, secure in the new knowledge he finally possesses. You feel his lips press to the crown of your head, one hand squeezing the nape of your neck gently while the other does laps up and down your spine, Henry putting himself on the back-burner yet again. 

“It was never, ever your fault, my love. The doctor said it would have happened regardless of how closely you’d been monitored. Sometimes life is just cruel, but it was never your fault. I will never blame you for the loss of our child. Never. I just wish...I wish I could have b-been there to h-help you th-through it.” 

The ache in his voice pulls another whimper from your lips and as you finally get your wish and take on some of his burden, you realize how grave an error in judgement you’d made that night. Trying to keep him from the pain of loss had only amplified it exponentially for both of you. 

Days turn to weeks, and little by little, you move back into a familiar comfort with one another. Gone are the eggshells, replaced with wine, movies, and the occasional dance in the kitchen while dinner is cooking. You’re healing, falling in love all over again, but Henry...Henry’s lagging behind. 

Though he no longer hides his bad days from you, and they do indeed get less frequent, you can’t help but notice what seems to be a permanent change in the man you love. Like a soldier after an arduous tour of duty, Henry seems to let life just come at him without any reasonable reaction. Good or bad, he remains placid, eyes always holding the sadness you’re now certain will never truly leave him. Though his smiles get brighter, they still don’t reach his gaze, at times leaving you uncertain of whether he’s genuinely experiencing happiness or just watching it pass him by as though it were a paper boat on a lazy river. 

It's most apparent at night when he watches you get ready for bed. You’ve grown comfortable enough with him that changing in front of him is no longer something to blush about, and though it took a while to get back in the habit, you now do so every night without a second thought. It was silly, really, when you considered that he’d been solely responsible for your care for two years. You were horrified to learn the details of said care, having never wanted to put Henry in such a position, but he’d merely shrugged it off as though it were the most natural thing in the world. 

“It was never a question in my mind, love. You’re my wife. My responsibility is first and foremost to your care and happiness. I couldn’t leave that in the hands of anyone else.”

Disrobing in front of him is about as intimate as you get nowadays, but not for lack of trying. Every little spot you remembered from before has been kissed and caressed in the hopes of rousing him to attention. Each time, Henry will gently stop you, his eyes filled with shame and regret despite the tender smile of understanding. Logically, he knows you want to be intimate again, wants that part of your relationship to come back, but he can’t bring himself to do it, fearing a repeat of history. You know, because it’s the same fear you tamp down each time you try, hoping that this time will be different. 

So when his soft voice breaks through the otherwise-silent room one night, it catches you off guard. 

“Let me see you,” Henry whispers, his expression holding something different in it as you turn to face him. Brow somewhat furrowed, his eyes carry a mixture of awe and longing as he lets his gaze slip over your nude form. Your heart clenches when you see his eyes shimmer with tears, Henry’s mouth parted softly, as though he’s breathing his last. 

Sitting up against the headboard, hands folded in his lap, he smiles fondly as his gaze meets yours once more. You don’t dare speak, letting him have his fill, knowing this the most he’s tried to do in a long, long time. Henry lets out a shaky sigh, and the tears slip down his cheeks, making your heart ache. 

“You’re breathtaking. Simply breathtaking, in every way.” 

Your own lip quivers as you take a step forward, hoping against hope that this is what he needs to heal that much further. 

“You’re not so bad yourself, you know,” you murmur, cupping his face in your hand, your fingers scratching gently at the beard that’s become more familiar than the once-smooth face you remember. 

Henry laughs softly, and it’s as though the heavens have opened up. Gazing into each other’s eyes, you find the courage to say what’s been on your mind for the last few days. 

“I miss us. I miss making love, Henry. I miss feeling you inside me. More than anything though, I miss us not being afraid of each other like this. I want to try again, Henry. I want another chance at…” You can’t finish, the words turning into the faintest of whispers as you wait for his reaction your own tears sliding down your face. 

“I’m scared. Scared of things going wrong, scared of not being there again.” Henry admits, his voice pinching as he looks up at you helplessly. “Scared that I’ll lose you.” 

“I am too, Henry. But I’m more scared of losing us than anything else. I can handle anything fate wants to throw in our faces if I have you by my side. I know that now. But I can’t sit by and watch our love die because we’re too scared to nurse it back to life after a storm.” 

You’re taken by surprise when Henry reaches up and cups the back of your neck, bringing you down for a tender kiss so filled with desperate yearning, it leaves you breathless. Without hesitation, he pulls you into his lap, deepening the contact. Blindly, you reach up and undo the band holding Henry’s hair in place. You want every part of him to be free, including the wild mane of curls he normally keeps pristinely tied back. It seems to release something inside him because before you know it, you’re on your back and he’s shimmying out of the lounge pants he wears to bed. 

His lips light a path all along your body, desire mixed with a deep-seated longing for the physical intimacy he hasn’t experienced in years. Where most men would have tried to get back at it at the first opportunity, Henry was saintly in his patience, waiting for you to be comfortable, to be ready, to initiate. Turning you down had never been his intention; just a knee-jerk reaction to an overabundance of pain that he’s still trying to cope with. 

Your hands card through his curls as you let him learn your body anew, let him come to terms with his fears as he kisses, licks, and sucks every inch of you. Sounds of relief escape between panting breaths, relief not only that he can still be with you in this way, but that he’s not as broken as he’d assumed. Your own hand sliding down slowly from his hip confirm that at least one of his fears has been assuaged and you don’t miss the flicker of excitement and arousal in his blue eyes as he feels your touch. 

Henry comes back to your lips, kissing with more energy and passion than you’ve felt since waking, each physical display of love mending your heart a little more. Finally, the man you remember is returning. Little by little, your husband, the other half of your soul, is coming back to you. It’s enough to bring fresh tears to your eyes, tears you blink away quickly, not wanting them to ruin the moment. Henry doesn’t miss it however, kissing them away and making you whimper. 

Meeting your gaze, he poses a final question silently, and you can only manage to nod, unable to so much as think of saying no. 

It’s different than you remember; better. He takes his time, his sole focus on your pleasure, even while you’re focused on his. The kisses amplify every thrust, your hips moving as one, connected mind, body, and soul. It isn’t long before your both coated in a thin sheen of sweat, eyes locked on one another as you move towards release together. 

The heated ache at your core only grows as Henry slips your legs over his broad shoulders, intentionally deepening every movement he makes inside you. Mouth parted, you can only watch your husband in awe as he works your body from memory, knowing exactly what feels right. 

It doesn’t take much for either of you to reach your peaks, time away from the primal act causing every sensation to be intensified, and it’s not until your gazes lock once more that you realize you’ll both fall over the edge together.

The gravity of what’s happening hits the two of you immediately after the first wave of pleasure, but it’s too late; there’s nothing to be done for it. You squeeze Henry’s hands, begging him to meet your gaze once more, but his own eyes are tightly shut. 

He keeps them closed as he lifts your right leg over his head, bringing it to join your left at his shoulder. Your tears come unbidden as you realize what he’s doing. 

“Henry!” You squeak out, gripping his hand tighter, beside yourself with the amount of love you feel for your husband, the fear of the future, and the hope that this time, it’ll work out better than it did the first time. 

Henry finally opens his eyes, his gaze meeting yours for a moment before he closes them again, sobbing. His free hand strokes your calf gently, his other shaking in your grip, and when he finally speaks, you can hear the release of his heart as clearly as you’d felt the release of his seed moments earlier. 

“I love you so much! You mean the world to me.”

[bekkathyst]

These are the stones I have available for wire wraps, for those of you who were interested!

If you would like to claim one, please be sure to read this entire post!

So here’s the rundown. Below is a picture with each stone numbered, and below that is the name of each stone, along with the price.

The price includes the following: the stone wrapped in the metal of your choice (sterling silver, 14k gold fill, 14k rose gold fill), an 18″ chain finished with a handmade clasp, and it includes free shipping worldwide! 

The customer will choose the style they’d like it wrapped in. There are three example pics below. 

Payment is due when the stone is claimed and all the options are chosen (metal, style, etc). PLEASE NOTE - these will be completed by FEBRUARY 2020. They take a long time to make, please make sure you're okay with the wait before ordering. I put the utmost care into this and have extreme attention to detail, and when that combines with my busy schedule, it means that it can take a while. I will hopefully get them done within a month, but please expect two just in case.

To claim: send me a message over the instant messenger with your email address, the country you’re in, the stone you’d like to claim, the metal you’d like it wrapped in, and the style you’d like it wrapped in. I’ll then send your invoice and get started on your pendant! :) 

*Note* These are some of my best, highest quality stones! I’ve been collecting (and hoarding, if I’m honest) hundreds of top quality stones for years to build this collection that I can share with you.

Here are all the stones: 

Rainbow Moonstone - $135

Rainbow Moonstone - $125 Sold out!

Purple and Yellow Labradorite - $125 Sold out!

Deep Purple Labradorite - $135 - Sold Out!

Deep Blue Labradorite - $125 - Sold Out!

Chrysoprase - $115 - Sold Out!

Rhodochrosite - $145

Velvet Rainbow Obsidian - $120 - Sold Out!

Mossy Gem Kyanite - $125 Sold out!

Sunstone/Moonstone Feldspar - $140

Rainbow Moonstone - $115 - Sold Out!

Black Amethyst Druzy - $95 - Sold Out!

Iolite Sunstone - $130 - Sold Out!

Deep Blue Labradorite Coffin - $125 - Sold Out!

Lapis Lazuli - $85 - Sold Out!

Flower Quartz (Quartz with rare Pyrophyllite inclusions) - $135 Sold Out!

Chatoyant Sapphire - $120

Brecciated Azurite - $125 - Sold Out

Azurite and Chrysocolla - $115 - Sold Out!

Amethyst - $85 - Sold Out!

Blue Apatite - $80 - Sold Out!

Blue/Silver Labradorite - $75 - Sold Out!

White Phantom Quartz - $130

Aquamarine - $115 - Sold Out

Aquamarine Heart - $130

Aquamarine Rough Crystal - $120 - Sold Out!

Mexican Galaxy Opal - $125

Mexican Cantera Opal - $120

Mexican Cantera Opal - $115 - Sold Out!

Charoite - $95 - Sold Out

Sunstone - $95 - Sold Out!

Red Rutilated Quartz - $125

Star Ruby - $130 - Sold Out!

Watermelon Tourmaline Slice - $145

Purple and Green Tourmaline - $140

Pink and Green Cat's Eye Tourmaline from California - $150

Tourmalinated Quartz - $125

Australian Opal Doublet (backed) - $125 - Sold Out!

Ethiopian Opal - $180 - Sold Out!

Pyrite Included Quartz - $120

These are the styles you can choose from (I do very minimalist wrapping so the stone really shines through! And the wrapping is super sturdy!) 

Style #1 (prongs): 

Style #2 (symmetrical): 

Style #3 (asymmetrical):  

I will cross out each stone as they are claimed! 

Thanks everyone :) 

[sabrinasgrimoire]

Crystal Studies: Malachite

Other Names: Malaku (Greek, “Mallow”)

Description: Malachite is a green carbonate mineral known for its distinct green color rings. Many imitation malachite crystals are on the market, but are easily identified. Though authentic malachite is all green, imitation malachite often has black. Imitation malachite also often looks very distinctly like clay.

Formation and Composition: The traditional green color of malachite forms during the oxidation process of copper. This happens when the sulfide elements of copper are exposed to water and turn green. The trick is, if the water contains carbonic acid, new compounds are formed and can turn the copper into malachite or blue azurite. Malachite is found naturally in a variety of forms, including stalactites, nodules, and sometimes slabs.

Location: Malachite can be found in Australia, Chile, China, France, Morocco, Namibia, Russia, Arizona, and Zimbabwe. The largest deposits can  be found in the Congo and Zaire, and smaller deposits can be found in various copper sites.

Cleansing Method: There is some debate as to whether or not malachite is a toxic stone. Generally, raw malachite is not toxic unless it is inhaled as a fine dust. Despite that, malachite is a very fragile stone, so handle with care. Malachite is also a stone that should never be put in water, especially direct-infusion elixirs.

Physical Healing Properties: As always, I will say to always consult a doctor for your medical needs. Crystal healing can be a fantastic healing supplement to your primary care, but should never be your only source of medical care. Some physical healing properties of malachite include reducing inflammation, particularly arthritis and rheumatism, healing the sexual organs, aid in childbirth, physical vitality, and detoxification. Because of its association with Venus, malachite is a great stone to use to help women with their monthly menstrual cycle. Mental benefits of malachite stem towards knowledge and inspiration. For artists, it can promote creativity, and for students, it can help absorb knowledge faster. 

Emotional Healing Properties: Malachite is a great stone to use when healing matters of the heart. Used in conjunction with rose quartz, malachite will promote self-love. It is often a stone used for heartbreak and realizing our own self-worth. Malachite has a very peaceful energy, lending itself well to helping us accept ourselves and find peace amongst emotional stress and trauma.

Meditations: Malachite is most often used in conjunction with the heart chakra, to open us up to love and find peace.

Divinatory Meaning: An ignition of love, be it self-love, romantic love, or platonic love.

Magickal Properties: in ritual lore, malachite is worn on the body to detect possible danger. This would be useful for any spirit work or during times when you are unable to cast a circle of protection. When danger is near, the stone is said to break apart. This stone is also used to protect travellers, especially against falls. Malachite is also used in ritual work to lend extra power and energy to the person or persons performing magick. It will also give a little extra boost to whatever you’re doing. In ancient times, it was traditional for the ritual malachite to be engraved with a sun figure. Malachite is also associated with the planet Venus, and is commonly used in love spells. This also works in conjunction with the heart chakra. Its colors promote calm energy, helping sleep and bringing emotional balance to the bearer. Malachite kept in the business area attracts customers and prosperity. In a sale situation, wearing malachite will attract good sales.

History and Folklore: Malachite is a stone closely associated with the Egyptian Goddess Hathor. She is a Goddess who looks after women, often referred to as the Lady of Malachite. It was often worn in amulets and talismans to channel the Goddess and all her attributes. It was also added to Khol, a type of eyeliner worn by men and women alike. This was thought to protect the wearer, and also honor the Goddess Hathor. The Greeks carved images of the Sun in the stone. This was thought to chase away negativity and shadows, bringing the rays of the run to illuminate the darkness. The Romans, unlike the Greeks, associated malachite with the Moon instead of the Sun. Malachite was sacred to the Goddess Diana, and adorned her temple at Ephesus. Due to its distinct circular pattern, it was used in the middle ages to avert the Evil Eye. It is also used for this purpose in modern times.

Correspondence Chart

💎Element: Earth, Fire

💎Herb: Mallow

💎Direction: North, Southwest, West

💎Energy: Yin, Receptive

💎Chakra: Sacral, Solar Plexus, Heart

💎Number: 9

💎Month: April, July

💎Planet: Venus, the Sun, the Moon

💎Zodiac: Scorpio, Capricorn

💎Deities: Njord, Hathor, Diana

💎Ogham: Ruis

💎Tarot: Judgement

💎Issues & Intentions: Abundance, the Afterlife, Agriculture, the Astral Realm, Emotional Balance, Business, Calm, Change, Communication, Connections, Danger, Death, Divination, Empowerment, Grounding, Spiritual Growth, Guidance, Emotional Healing, Hope, Love, Loyalty, Black Magick, Money, Negativity, Nurture, Peace, Power, Magickal Power, Personal Power, Prosperity, Protection, Psychic Ability, Emotional Purification, Mental Purification, Emotional Security, Sight, Skills, Sleep, Spirituality, Success, Transformation, Travel, Wealth

Works Cited

Sandra Kynes (2013), Complete Book of Correspondences, Llewellyn, Print

Scott Cunningham (1996), Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of of Crystal, Gem, & Metal Magic, Llewellyn, Print, Page 112

Editors (Unknown), Malachite, Moonrise Crystals, https://moonrisecrystals.com/tumbled-stones/malachite/#:~:text=Malachite%20was%20first%20mined%20in,wax%20to%20produce%20green%20paint.

Bernadette King (Unknown), Malachite, Building Beautiful Souls, https://www.buildingbeautifulsouls.com/symbols-meanings/healing-crystals-gemstones/malachite-meaning-healing-metaphysical-properties/#Metaphysical

[piscessuncapmoon]

Toxic Crystals and Stones List

This is by no means a comprehensive toxic crystals and stones list. I’m always adding to and tweaking it. Please always do your own research in addition to checking here. When in doubt, do without!

Actinolite

May contain asbestos. Not recommended for elixirs

Adamite

Contains arsenic and some copper

Ajoite

Contains aluminum and copper

Alexandrite

Contains aluminum

Amazonite

Contains copper

Atacamite

Contains copper

Aquamarine

Contains aluminum

Auricalcite

Contains zinc and copper

Azurite

Contains copper

Beryl Group

Bixbite

Emerald

Aquamarine

Goshenite

Heliodor

Morganite

Contains aluminum

Black Tourmaline

Contains aluminum

Boji-stones (aka Moqui Balls, Shaman Stone, Shamanic Star Stone)

Contains some sulphur, pyrite and/or marcasite

Bronchantite

Contains copper

Bumblebee "Jasper" (not tech. a jasper)

Contains some finely dispersed Cinnabar (see below), but in very minute amounts

Cavansite

Contains copper

Celestite

Contains strontium

Chalcantite

Contians copper

Chalcopyrite (peacock stone)

Contains copper and sulphur

Chrysocolla

Contains copper

Cinnabar

Contians mercury

Conicalcite

Contians copper

Copper

Can be poisonous depending on quantity

Covellite

Contains copper and sulphur

Cuprite

Contains copper

Dioptase

Contains copper

Dumortierite

Contains aluminum

Emerald

Contains aluminum

Fluorite

Contains fluorine

Fuchsite

Contains chromium

Garnet (Spessartine, Almandine, Uvarovite, Rhodolite,Hessonite)

Contains aluminum

Gem Silica

Contains copper

Galena

Contains lead

Garnierite (aka Falcondoite)

Contains nickel

Iolite

Contains aluminum

Kunzite

Contains aluminum

Labradorite

Contains aluminum

Lapis Lazuli

Contains pyrite

Lepidolite

Contains aluminum

Malachite

Contains copper

Markasite

Contains sulphur

Mohawkite

Contains copper and Arsenic

Moldavite

Contains aluminum oxide

Moonstone

Contains aluminum

Morganite

Contains aluminum

Pietersite

Fibrous form contains asbestos

Prehnite

Contains aluminum

Psiomelan

Contains barium

Pyrite

Contains sulphur

Realgar

Contains sulphur and arsenic

Ruby

Contains aluminum

Sapphire

Contains aluminum

Selenite

Although not toxic, friable; tiny shards may break off in water

Serpentine

Fibrous form contains asbestos

Smithsonite

May contain copper

Sodalite

Contains aluminum

Spinel

Contains aluminum

Spodumene (aka Kunzite)

Contains aluminum

Staurolite

Contains aluminum

Stibnite

Contains lead and antimony

Stilbite

Contains aluminum

Sugilite

Contains aluminum

Sulfur

Poisonous

Sunstone

Contains aluminum

Tanzanite--Gem variety of Zoisite.

Contains aluminum

Topaz

Contains aluminum

Torbenite

Radioactive

Tourmaline

Contains aluminum

Tremolite

May contain asbestos

Turquoise

Contains copper and aluminum

Vanadinite

Contains vanadium

Variscite

Contains aluminum

Vesuvianite

Contains aluminum

Wavellite

Contains aluminum

Wulfenite

Contains lead and molybdenum

Zircon

Contains zirconium, radioactive

Zoisite

Contains aluminum

[neoyorzapoteca]

Galaxies Unto Themselves: Lorna Simpson’s Collages of Black Women’s Hair

By Elizabeth Alexander

“We start with the Book of Miss Brooks, and her poem, “The Anniad,” which casts the life of an “ordinary” black girl, Annie Allen, in epic scale and form:

THINK OF THAUMATURGIC LASS LOOKING IN HER LOOKING-GLASS
 AT THE UNEMBROIDERED BROWN; PRINTING BASTARD ROSES THERE; THEN EMOTIONALLY AWARE 
OF THE BLACK AND BOISTEROUS HAIR, TAMING ALL THAT ANGER DOWN.

In Lorna Simpson’s collages, “the black and boisterous” hair is the universal governing principle. Black women’s heads of hair are galaxies unto themselves, solar systems, moonscapes, volcanic interiors. The hair she paints has a mind of its own. It is sinuous and cloudy and fully alive. It is forest and ocean, its own emotional weather. Black women’s hair is epistemology, but we cannot always discern its codes.

Lorna Simpson, Earth & Sky #17, 2016.

Watercolor is the perfect medium for Simpson here because of how it holds light and appears to be translucent. But it is also a wash, a shadow cast over what we cannot know in these women. Simpson’s portraits invite us to look, by their sidelong glances or direct gazes. We are compelled, always, by the phantasmagorical hair, which both invites and obscures.

In these pictures black women’s phantasmagorical hair is like smoke, but nothing is turning to ash. It is a non-consuming smoke, the mesmerizing beauty of smoke as it curls and wafts and draws a viewer inexorably near.

Lorna Simpson, Ultra Violet 2, 2015.

If black people are “the window and the breaking of the window,” as William Pope.L asserts (we are reminded by curator Amanda Hunt), what are black women, in Simpson’s vision here?

Black women are blue and black and ocher and goldenrod and magenta. Black women are unfathomable.

Lorna Simpson, Jet Problem, 2012.

Black women are composed, necessarily immaculate. A black woman could go off at any moment.

Black women are mighty and terrifying.

Lorna Simpson, White Roses, 2011.

I do not know a black women who is at leisure. I have never known a black woman not efficient. Black women bide their time.

Black women are the shimmering surface and the power beneath.

What does it mean for a sister to sing that song?

The repetitions in these images suggest that we are thought of by some as a dime a dozen: undervalued, yes, but also, abundant. Black women are everywhere glorious and unsung.

Lorna Simpson, Jet Double Sit-In, 2012.

The black woman is elemental, of the earth, magma, and gem, “malachite and azurite.”

She is Afro-blue.

Before the serpentine coil, the gravity-defying nimbus of black hair, there is grease and there are plaits and there are headrags and there are silk sleeping scarves and satin pillowcases. Simpson doesn’t show us that. Yet we know it is there.

Lorna Simpson, Unbroken, 2017.

One soundtrack to these pictures: A woman sings Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness” to her sister, her girlfriend. Black women, we sing to each other, a black woman artist singing an epic ode to black female beauty.

Ah black. Ah boisterous. Ah black. Ah beauty.

I want to name these women old-fashioned names: Viola, Simone, Mamie, Zora, Fern, Rachel, Daphne, Maudell, Thelma, Wenonah, Alondra, Farah. Adele, Matrice. Look, I’ve named some of them for women I love, whose eternal beauty never ceases to stir me.

Lorna Simpson, Earth & Sky #03, 2016.

Black women are the beginning and the end. 
Black women are the law.
 Black women are the ground and the sky, the horizon. Black women are the lucky number seven.

Black women are all the books in the Ancient Library of Alexandria, Egypt. Black women are Hammurabi’s code and the Rosetta stone: vexation and answer, secret and revelation.

Black women are surpassingly beautiful, and that is why you cannot stop looking at Lorna Simpson’s pictures.

The word “thaumaturgic” means: performing miracles.”

(via LitHub)

[namelists]

a list of names inspired by: gemstones & crystals

this list includes gemstone names, jewel-inspired names, and the symbolism and meaning behind each one

Amber: honey-coloured fossilized tree resin, known once as drops of the sun

option: Ambra

Amethyst: deep violet birthstone for February, known for providing protection and clear-headedness

option: Ametista

Ametrine: a mix of amethyst and citrine, balances masculine/feminine energy

options: Ametrina, Ametri

Ammolite: opalescent shells of marine fossils, known to bring luck and prosperity

options: Ammolita, Amoli

Aquamarine: the birthstone for March, clear blue stone, once known as the treasure of mermaids, protects those who travel by water

Aventurine: a soothing deep green quartz, translucent and shimmering with deposits of mica

option: Aventura, Venturina

Azurite: vibrant, lustrous deep blue, used in many cultures as a potent psychic stone

options: Azurita, Azure

Beryl: a rare ice-blue crystal, inspired the word ‘brilliance’

options: Berilo, Berylla

Carnelian: bright, optimistic orange, known to enhance expression and creativity

option: Carneline, Karneol

Chalcedony: a dark smoky blue stone, instills feelings of benevolence and brotherhood

options: Chalcedon, Calcendonia, Calcedonio

Chrysocolla: an opaque stone in the colours of a tropical ocean, known to enhance analytical thinking and communication

Citrine: a birthstone option for November, sparkling yellow crystal, from the french word for ‘lemon’, emanates positivity and joy

options: Citrina, Citrino

Crystal: derived from the Greek word for ‘ice’, inspires healing and clarity

Diamond: April’s birthstone, a brilliant, dazzling stone known for its beauty and strength

Emerald: birthstone for May, a bright, joyful green gem known as ‘the stone of successful love’

options: Emeraude, Esmeralda

Garnet: the birthstone of January, found in a rainbow of colours, known to promote safety and strength

Gemma: a precious stone, a jewel

Jade: a pale green stone, promotes loving heart energy

options: Giada, Jada, Jaden

Jasper: a smooth, warm-coloured gem, enhances energy, stamina and endurance

Jewel: a precious stone, a gem

options: Bijou (french), Gioiello (italian), Jóia (portuguese), Vito (swahili)

Kyanite: a pale grey-blue crystal known to enhance truth-telling, communication and clarity

options: Kya, Kyan

Larimar: soft, soothing blue and white stone, represents peace and harmony

options: Larima, Lorimara

Lazuli: deep, celestial blue stone, a symbol of royalty and honor, gods and power, spirit and vision

Malachite: deep green stone of transformation, manifestation and intention:

option: Malachi

Onyx: a powerful protection stone, black onyx absorbs and transforms negative energy

Opal: October’s birthstone, called the ‘eye stone’, looks like lightning hit a rainbow, brilliant and magical

Pearl: lustrous white spheres, the birthstone for June, name is synonymous with great rarity and worth

options: Perla (spanish), Margarita (latin), Rita

Peridot: August birthstone, an olivine crystal of positive power

options: Perrie, Dot

Ruby: a perfect-red crystal, the stone of love, energy, passion, power, and a zest for life

option: Rubino

Sapphire: the birthstone of September, known as the wisdom stone

options: Zafiro (spanish), Sapphira

Trystine:  a mix of amethyst and citrine, balances masculine/feminine energy

options: Trystin, Trystina

Topaz: the birthstone of November, a symbol of love and affection, and has been said to be an aid to ones sweetness and disposition

Tourmaline: another October birthstone, ranging from black to green and pink, was thought to bring healing powers to a shaman or medicine man

options: Tourmalina (italian), Tourmali

Zircon: a misunderstood gemstone, a birthstone option for December, found in a variety of colours, known to purify negative energy and bring happiness

option: Zirconia, Circonia (spanish)