Add rice to the pot until it’s filled to 1 inch from the top.
Place the Black Tourmaline in the center of the rice.
Place the 4 Labradorite stones evenly in a circle around the Black Tourmaline (at the 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock, and 9 o’clock positions).
Place a Pyrite stone in between each Labradorite.
Starting with a Labradorite, take your Clear Quartz point and draw an invisible line between all the crystals in the pot to energetically connect each to the next. Think of it as “connecting the dots” like when you were a kid.
Now that your crystal grid is activated, place the pot by the main entrance of your home.
Leave the pot in its designated place for up to 6 months, or until you feel it’s time to change the rice, repeating steps 1 to 7.
“I VANT TO SUCK YOUR ENERGY”
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Have you ever felt squeaky clean from the inside out? This can happen after a good cry, when you’ve allowed all your suppressed emotions to bubble up to the surface and pour out. You may feel like you’ve hit reset for your mind, body, and soul. Your life might suddenly feel hopeful, and you may even be able to breathe a little deeper. It’s usually around this time—when your guard is down—that “they” can feel and sense your light.
By “they,” we mean “energy vampires.” Energy vampires tend to show up when you least expect it. Yes, they’re real, and they’re everywhere! But these vampires don’t want your blood; they want to suck your energy.
How will you know what an energy vampire looks like? At first they’re normal-looking people who usually have the best intentions at heart. They can be a co-worker, neighbor, good friend, or a family member. On occasion, the energy vampire might even be you!
“Vamping” energy off others can happen easily and unintentionally, especially when someone is overly fearful, has low self-esteem or a “poor me” attitude, feels jealous, indulges in gossip, or is overly negative or angry. If your immune system and auric field become compromised due to stress, poor nutrition, or lack of sleep, it’s also easier to fall prey to an energy vampire.
When someone feels powerless and insecure, they look for someone else’s energetic light to draw from so that they can uplift themselves. Even though you can’t see it happening, you’ll feel its effects. Luckily, crystals are a powerful ally to shield yourself from negativity.
Black Tourmaline
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WISDOM KEEPER:
FORCE FIELD PROTECTOR
COLOR: Black
ORIGIN: Africa, Brazil, Pakistan, and the U.S.
HISTORY AND LORE: Tourmaline comes in a wide variety of forms, energies, and colors, ranging from pinks to greens to black. Ancient Egyptian legends suggest that on its journey from the center of the Earth, Tourmaline passed by a rainbow and took on its beautiful array of colors. Many shamans of African, Aboriginal, and Native American tribes carry Tourmaline to protect themselves from danger.
HEALING PROPERTIES: Black Tourmaline is one of the most powerful crystals for protection and elimination of negative energy. This stone places an energetic boundary between you and others, so that you don’t pick up on unwanted energies. When placed in the four corners of a room, Black Tourmaline seals the room with a protective shield. In this formation, the stone also assists in balancing out the energy and dispelling the lower vibrations of a room.
PSYCHIC PROTECTION POWER BANDING RITUAL
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TIME FRAME:
Wear for at least 21 consecutive days
Have you ever noticed that some of your favorite superheroes wear bracelets or bands on each wrist? Well, now you can tap into this secret by wearing crystal bracelets that “band” you with protective energy. Black Onyx absorbs negative energy, while Pyrite repels or reflects negativity, making these a powerful duo for protection.
Wearing these crystals on opposite sides of your body not only creates balance within your energy field, but also protects you from psychic attacks, bad mojo, energy vampires, and even the evil eye. This ritual is a simple yet very effective way to use the energy of crystals to protect yourself daily.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
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1 Black Onyx elastic bracelet to create an invisible, energetic shield around your body, absorb negativity, and protect you from unwanted influences
1 Pyrite elastic bracelet to act as a protective, reflective energy shield; its mirrorlike quality reflects back any unwanted energy to its original sender
1 sage stick
1 feather
1 abalone shell or fireproof container to catch ashes from the sage
RITUAL STEPS:
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Sage your environment, and cleanse your crystals.
Hold your crystal bracelets in your hands, close your eyes, and take 3 deep breaths. Aloud or in your head, say the following: “I ask that the highest vibration of love and light connect with my highest self to clear all unwanted energy and any previous programming. I command these crystals to hold the intention of protection, transmuting negative energy, and shielding from psychic attacks. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Wear your Black Onyx bracelet on your left wrist. The left side of your body is referred to as your most sensitive and “receiving” side. Banding your left wrist with a Black Onyx bracelet shields your receiving side from negative energy, psychic attack, energy vampires, and any other unwanted energy.
Wear your Pyrite bracelet on your right wrist. The right side of your body represents the energy you put out to the world and is referred to as your “giving” side. Since you’re giving out energy from the right side of your body, you want to ensure that you put out positive, protective energy for yourself. Banding your right wrist with a Pyrite bracelet acts as a reflective shield, as its mirrorlike quality reflects back any unwanted energy. By placing the two bracelets on your wrists, you have protectively banded yourself against negative energies and psychic attack.
Band your wrists with this crystal energy combination for at least 21 consecutive days.
Throughout this ritual, cleanse your bracelets as needed by repeating steps 1 and 2. If, at any time during this period, you feel that you’ve come under severe psychic attack, cleanse your bracelets immediately.
Pyrite
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WISDOM KEEPER:
THE DEFLECTOR
COLOR: Pale brass yellow
ORIGIN: France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Peru, Spain, and the U.S.
HISTORY AND LORE: Often referred to as “Fool’s Gold” because of its obvious resemblance to real gold, Pyrite holds a strong protective energy. Pyrite has been highly prized and used by wisdom keepers since ancient times. This stone will help attract wealth, abundance, and good luck. Because its mirrorlike quality repels any unwanted energy, ancient civilizations often wore it as a protective shield.
HEALING PROPERTIES: When you wear Pyrite, your aura is shielded against negativity and psychic attacks. It will also attract an abundance of good luck and positivity, and may even help you manifest gold.
“By releasing the relationships that drain my energy, I create space to connect with people who light me up.
— ASHLEY NEESE,
breathwork teacher
CHAPTER 12
LIVING IN TUNE WITH THE MOON
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CELESTIAL CEREMONIES FOR SELF-DISCOVERY
“I left a light on . . .”
— UNIVERSE
I WAS IN ONE OF THOSE “NOW WHAT?” PERIODS IN LIFE. I’D BEEN ON MY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY FOR A WHILE, AND EVEN THOUGH I FELT MORE open-minded and consciously aware than before, something deep within me felt disconnected. Maybe it was overload. I had become a sponge, reading every self-help book I could get my hands on. I had reached a turning point where I felt as if I’d gathered all the information on self-improvement I possibly could. Yet, instead of feeling clear from all the information, I felt more confused.
&n
bsp; It was time to close the books. I couldn’t go back to rereading the same ideas. Instead of intellectual stimulation, I needed to “just be.”
I was also ready for a new teacher.
As synchronicity would have it, I met a medicine woman who invited me to attend a Native American sweat lodge purification ceremony. She held this event every month on or around the Full Moon. At first, I was hesitant. I had never been to a sweat lodge before. But since I’d been feeling so cloudy and energetically depleted, I thought a good sweat might do me some good.
The lodge was a dome-shaped frame, covered with canvas blankets, and had a hanging flap for the entrance. I was asked to bring an offering of sage, tobacco, and flowers. These were to be given to the people who kept the rocks hot on an open fire pit at the center of the lodge. We had the choice of wearing a bathing suit or nothing at all. I noticed that all 12 of the other women around me were naked—nothing but a towel wrapped around them. I felt self-conscious and uncomfortable, but everyone else acted as if it was no big deal. So I stood quietly in line and decided to do the same.
It was a cold night. I was freezing as we waited to enter. But the shivering stopped the moment I entered the lodge. Once everyone was inside, the hot rocks were added, the door was closed, and it was suddenly pitch black. I couldn’t see anyone, but I could feel shoulders touching mine.
The medicine woman started singing Native American songs, and everyone joined her. It took me a few seconds to catch on, but I soon joined in, too. Each person took a turn praying out loud to the Great Spirit. The women bared their souls—sharing intimate and personal stories to release the pain and sorrow that had been lingering inside. When everyone had spoken, more songs were sung, and the door finally opened. Fresh air had never felt so good! My body was dripping with sweat—now I understood why everybody had chosen to be naked.
More hot rocks were added to the pit, and the door closed again. This round, we prayed for other people. It seemed as if it was getting hotter and hotter. Women cried and prayed, water was thrown on the hot rocks, and the steam filled every inch of the space. It was so hot that I could barely breathe. Finally the door opened again, and drinking water was passed around.
More rocks were added, and the process repeated. This round was for healing. It became hotter still. Sweat poured off my body. I felt uncomfortable and sticky, and I counted the seconds until it would be over. Why am I doing this? I asked myself.
At that moment the door opened, but we still had one round left. I didn’t think I could endure it any longer. I wanted to leave. But I stayed, even though we were told this would be the hottest round yet. My mind was racing. How could it possibly get hotter?
I folded my body into a tight ball and decided to surrender to the heat. I felt the sweat pour out my fears, sadness, and negative thoughts. In the darkness, I could see my soul being purified.
The door opened for the last time. While I crawled out of the lodge on my hands and knees, I felt gratitude fill my pores. I was grateful for the Earth, the elements, the women who had shared the sacred space in the lodge with me, and mostly for my life.
Standing for the first time in more than three hours, I felt as if I was reborn. I was energetically lighter and in awe of the ground beneath my feet while I stood outside completely naked. I looked up and saw the Full Moon beaming down on me. I gasped! She completely took my breath away. Had she always been so luminous? I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. I stood there bathing in her mysterious glow.
In that moment, I realized I had just begun a new relationship—with the Moon. For so long, I had been looking down at the Earth with the crystals. I now realized there was a new, undiscovered world right above me.
LUNAR AWAKENING
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After this first sweat lodge, I attended one at every Full Moon for a year. Each one was different, but equally hard, liberating, and mind altering. The more I purified myself of my mental, emotional, and physical baggage, the freer I felt. During this time I was able to see through not only my physical eyes and ears, but my spiritual ones as well. I realized that beyond the mind, an entire world of spirit exists. We aren’t separate from nature, the elements, and the stars above—we’re all interconnected. I experienced it, saw it, and felt it.
When I was inside the sweat lodges, I developed a deep, personal connection with the Earth, but the moment I exited, it was the Moon that truly stole my heart. I sat under her beams for hours and hours afterward, absorbing her light and energy. I was so enthralled by her energy that I felt inspired to study the areas of life that are affected by the magnetic frequency of the Moon. These include plant medicine, a woman’s reproductive cycle, the ocean tides, and even agriculture. Everything I learned made perfect sense. Our ancestors used to live completely in tune with the Moon for planting, hunting, and fishing. They lived in alignment with her seasons and cycles. They understood the importance of connecting with her phases and rhythms in order to connect with their own phases and rhythms. Somewhere along the way, we lost touch.
The more I stood on the Earth and connected with the Moon, the stronger the message became: The Moon had information to share with me, if I slowed down long enough to listen. I made a point of watching the Moon travel across the night sky. I allowed myself time for self-reflection. Soon I realized the Moon was reflecting back to me all that I could be—light, luminous, consistent, ever changing, and always interconnected.
MOTHER MOON MANDALA RITUAL
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TIME FRAME:
Begin on a New Moon, and use nightly for 3 to 7 minutes for 28 consecutive days or 1 Moon cycle
This ritual allows you to align your manifestation process with the full cycle of the Moon. It gives you time for graceful self-reflection, discovery, and transformation while connecting to the Moon’s divine energy. Working with your Mother Moon Mandala will allow you to work through the different parts of the Moon’s cycle. You’ll recognize that the Moon lives in a constant state of change—growing and releasing in accordance with the rhythm of the universe. As I had done in the sweat lodge, you will physically connect to both the Earth and Moon cycle as you work with your mandala each day under the night sky.
Although there are eight actual phases of the Moon, you’ll work with the energy of four distinct parts of her cycle: the New Moon, the Waxing period, the Full Moon, and the Waning period. The New Moon marks the beginning of Mother Moon’s cycle and is a time for new beginnings and planting new seeds. This is when you’ll build your mandala. As the Moon grows, the Waxing period is a time for these new beginnings to bloom. Her energy slowly increases and intensifies while she brings in new energy, opportunities, and clarity. The Full Moon is the height of her power—her full expression. This period amplifies the energy you hold in your mind, body, and spirit. It also sheds light on what you no longer need. Finally, the Moon dims and moves to darkness. The Waning period represents a time of letting go. The Moon reaches the completion of her cycle, and it’s a time of rest.
As you connect with both the Earth and Moon energy in this ritual, you’re not only connecting with your natural rhythm, but with the rhythm of the divine universe around you. You’ll feel the same expansive, cosmic connection to everything, and you’ll know in your soul that the possibilities for you are infinite.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
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Enough twigs to form a circle that’s at least 40" in diameter
13 Basalt stones to represent 13 Moon cycles within a year (you can also use 13 stones you’ve found in nature)
Flowers as an offering for life, love, and beauty. Choose blossoms that resonate with the energy of the Moon, such as Casablanca lilies, gardenias, or jasmine.
A bowl of water for floating the flowers
1 sweetgrass braid to attract positive energy and good spirits
1 feather to represent spirit in your mandala and for saging your space
1 sage stick to be kept in the middle of the mandala for p
urification and to cleanse your space
1 Black Tourmaline crystal to represent the New Moon in its dark state, marking the beginning of the Moon’s cycle
1 Moonstone crystal to represent the Waxing period of the Moon
1 Clear Quartz sphere to represent the Full Moon in its full expression
1 Labradorite crystal to represent the Waning period of the Moon
A timer
1 abalone shell or fireproof container to catch ashes from the sage
RITUAL STEPS:
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Consult a Moon calendar (you can find one on the Internet) to find out the timing of the next New Moon.
On the New Moon, find a place outside where your Mother Moon Mandala can remain undisturbed for 28 days. Ideally, your mandala should be at least 40 inches in diameter. If you don’t have a large enough space or don’t have a place outside to create your mandala, you can create a mini Mother Moon Mandala on a tray that can be moved outside nightly.
Sage your environment, and cleanse your crystals.
Place all your crystals in front of you, close your eyes, and take 3 deep breaths. Aloud or in your head, say the following: “I ask that the highest vibration of love and light connect with my highest self to clear all unwanted energy and any previous programming. I command these crystals to hold the intention of new opportunities, connection, releasing, and healing. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Create a circle with your twigs that is about 40 inches in diameter, or a smaller circle that fits on your tray.
In the middle of the mandala, place the 13 Basalt stones, bowl of water with flowers, sweetgrass braid, feather, sage stick, and any other offerings you may want to include.
Crystal Muse Page 17