Chrysoprase

Chrysoprase is one of those stones that jumped out at me in the store as soon as I saw it. I knew I had to purchase this pretty apple-green gem and the feeling was reinforced when I understood its qualities and characteristics. Mine is a tiny tumbled piece of stone unlike the lovely natural chunks in this picture.

A balancing stone for not just the apparent heart chakra, but on a metaphysical level it stabilises all of the chakra’s. The ying and yang are also equalised. This overall balancing effect provides a sense of calm.

Commonly used for good luck and success, Chrysoprase taps into the harmonious energies of nature. I have kept this stone on my desk to enhance the creative and trusting properties. It can also be helpful to use during meditation to gain personal insight.

Chrysoprase is good to place beside the bed at night to capture the restful sleep and safety or security attributes.

Other qualities include cleansing and detoxifying which can aid in banishing negativity and allowing the new, positive energies through.

Half Moon Pose

Half Moon pose has never been easy for me. Rotating the hips while balancing on one leg and the fingertips of one hand proved near impossible. I was always wobbling and the pose was just out of reach. But I persisted, slowly building strength and confidence.

One day a teacher assisted me into the pose enabling me to feel it completely - where I was supposed to go and how it should feel. I worked with this in future classes and I listened carefully to different teachers instructions. I began to play with the placement of my supporting hand and this was key to achieving balance. I found perfect placement of the fingertips a few inches to the side and quite a bit forward – about a foot in front of the balancing leg. The arm is pretty much in line with the shoulder although this positioning can be hard to ascertain from this angle.

The right arm extends down with supporting fingers pushing into the earth, creating a flat back while the right leg roots through the ground for stability.

The other key factor was finding strength in both legs, especially the one up in the air. Pointing the ball of the foot on the left leg and shooting power back creating the strength, and therefore the pose. Leaving the lifted leg hanging without any effort or energy meant that I would more than likely topple over.

I found that placing my left hand on my left hip and slowly rotating while maintaining power from the right side allowed me to find the pose. Once I feel stable, I can extend my left arm skyward, fingers reaching out and the shoulder slightly twisting for a gentle heart opening. Finally, I gaze upwards and it feels wonderful. I like to visualise the energy alive and soaring through my body in a glorious light.

It is a beautiful Asana but one that needs patience and persistence.

Litha

Summer Solstice is celebrated all over the world. In the Southern Hemisphere it falls on either 21 or 22 December, depending on the earth’s rotation. On this day of Mid-Summer, we honour the Sun recognising the longest day of sunlight and the shortest hours of darkness. The earth shines under the fertility of the God and Goddess providing abundance in nature.

As we bask in the warmth of the summer rays of light, it is at this time that we begin to prepare for the turning of the seasons. The coming days will begin to grow shorter and daylight lessens as we return to the journey towards darkness once more.

On this occasion we are also blessed with the energy of the full moon. It enhances the celebration of Litha, and being so close to the craziness of the holiday season, some of us will become more sensitive to the vibrations.

I am going to use the power of the combined energy to prepare for the new year. But most of all, I will remember to breathe and surround myself with golden light of love and protection.

Happy Litha!

Let go

Last week during one of my regular 6am yoga classes, the room felt hotter than I thought comfortable. The weather has been so unpredictable lately and the morning air seemed cooler than was usual for this time of year. I let it pass, thinking I would not notice once I had warmed up and begun to flow.

As we began to move, I felt enthusiastic and energetic. I could feel my strength beginning to return after months of injury. Through this, I have learnt to listen to my body. This meant modifying most of my practice for the past six months and leaving out more complicated or advanced poses that I would normally relish in.

For the first time in what seemed like forever, I felt less restricted and more mobile. My experimentation gave me a renewed sense of certainty.

However, the heat seemed to really bother me. I was reminded of Bikram days when it was all I could do to breathe through the intensity to make it to the end of class. But this was not Bikram. Power shouldn’t be this hot. No, it was too hot. Or at least it felt that way to me.

I tried to breathe. As we moved upright from Crowe pose to standing I could feel my head become light and fuzzy - the effects of standing up too quickly. The room seemed to close in around me. Nonetheless, I took hold of my breath and thought of nothing else for fear of passing out. This wasn’t likeIy to happen but it was a possibility and I might need to rest in Child’s pose.

There is no shame in Child’s pose or resting - but I was having such a great class, I didn’t want to stop.

Ego. It was my ego that would not let me rest. Instead, I chose to reduce my practice from there on in.

Interestingly, my standing poses were held with grace and ease. Perhaps consciously letting go of pushing myself to a place where I wanted to be and allowing my body to just be exactly where it needed created this grace and ease. And in doing so I achieved my perfect pose at that very moment.

Let go. Take a deep breath, focus, and just be.

Rose Quartz

Underneath the subtlety of this pretty and delicate stone lies a powerful gem that enhances spirituality and increases compassion.

Rose Quartz is all about love. It provides a soothing influence that softens the harshness of our life experiences. With this wondrous stone, we can discover the love deep within ourselves, that allows us to open up to others – to love and be loved. Amazingly, it calms emotions creating an appreciation of all things beautiful.

Using Rose Quartz in meditation can lessen feelings of trouble and disarray. Change and acknowledging its importance becomes easier, however problematic it seems.

Energetically, Roze Quartz releases negativity, particularly those relating to self image

Wearing this graceful stone close to the heart inspires positive effects and is beneficial to all signs of the zodiac.

Amazonite

Today I am wearing Russian Amazonite. I love the blue-green, almost turquoise colour of the stone. When polished, Amazonite is easily characterised by the streaky grain and spot-like colouring.

The green colour resembles the love and compassion of the heart chakra. On a physical level, the green influence is linked to fertility and protection. It helps to regulate metabolic disorders, harmonises the brain, nervousness and internal organs.

But really, it is the blue qualities of the throat chakra that make this stone special.

The fifth chakra, Visudda, is located at the neck. It is the connection between the more physical lower chakra’s and the higher metaphysical chakra’s.

Spiritually Amazonite can assist in self determination and expression.

Mentally, Amazonite synchronises communication between the intellect and our intuition, providing a wider gateway to personal expression. Amazonite can also enhance ones sense of psychic awareness and can be used to tap into past memories.

The healing properties of this gemstone are amazing. Symbolic of the throat chakra elements it can ease problems with the ears, nose, throat and nervous system. It is useful in releasing blocked emotions. And it can provide inspiration for creative endeavours, supporting all aspects of communication, so is therefore excellent for those involved in the arts.

Beltane

Each year on October 31 the Northern hemisphere celebrates Samhain, better known as Halloween. As Pagan festivals are earth based they look toward the seasons for their celebrations. Samhain is a time to prepare for the oncoming darkness of winter. It is a time of reflection and remembrance. Some say the separation between the physical and spiritual realms is narrow during this time, bringing forth the tales of Halloween.

In the Southern hemisphere we are embarking on the warming days of summer. Beltane tells the story of a youthful God becoming a man, stimulated by nature he desires the Goddess in his arms. They fall in love and the Goddess is fertilised by his seed.

Beltane is a time of love and celebration. The earth is once again fulfilled with vitality providing enthusiasm and anticipation. It is a time to be creative and embrace the abundance of nature.

Today I paid homage to the Gods and welcomed them to this day of Beltane. Myrrh resin welcomed the youthful God Adonis. The young God died from a boar wound and the flower of anemone grew from his blood. His beloved Aphrodite was so distressed that the Gods allowed Adonis to spend six months of every year on earth with her. And so we are graced with the revival of nature as Adonis returns.

Red rose petals were gently burnt for Eros, also known as Cupid – God of love and son of Aphrodite. Finally, sage greeted Jupiter, God of rain, storms, thunder and lightening. We give thanks to the Gods for the wealth and beauty that surrounds us.

Happy Beltane.