Thulite And Thinkers

Let me introduce… Thulite! This stone is a new acquaintance, but already quite a favourite… I’ll explain…

This may look like an unassuming little pebble, but it originates from Norway, the “Land Of The Midnight Sun”, at the top of the world, almost, and as such, this crystal is positively brimming with Light, Life and regeneration.

It kick starts the immune system to promote healing and does the same thing mentally, if there is resistance, emotional barriers, to overcome. It’s a demonstrative crystal that helps to overcome shyness and the stress associated with it; likewise it can be used to encourage physical passion within a relationship, and to accept this as a positive manifestation of the human body.

Thulite encourages mental agility, problem solving and logic, balancing love and intelligence, important qualities of Life that we need to move forward.

Problem solving… hmm… I’m rubbish. I’m not particularly good at lateral thinking (those fairies again) although I can sometimes look at an issue and think: “Oh this is how it should be,” even though I lack the technical ability to make it so…

I love to watch thought processes in animals… Rocky, my mother’s pup, amused me. He left his marrowbone outside and went back to fetch it. He was moving quite quietly – I was washing up so I saw the whole thing – but he stopped halfway across the garden.

Sitting on his marrowbone was a large black and white magpie, splendidly glossy and confident. Rocky was watching this magpie very closely, as it used its long pointy beak to stab out pieces of marrow… Finally Rocky could stand it no longer and rushed over to reclaim his bone, and I had to smile at the look of wonder on his face as he realised that the magpie had knocked loose some chunks that he could reach.

He brought the bone back inside and gnawed it thoughtfully for a minute or two, and I could see there was something ticking in his mind… He got up, took the bone back outside and carefully laid it down in the spot where the magpie had previously visited the bone. He retreated to the kitchen doorway to wait…

Sure enough, the magpie came back and fluttered down to sit on the bone and resume exhuming this tasty treat… Rocky gave the bird a good couple of minutes’ work time, and then walked – not rushed – over to to retrieve his bone. Again, there were some bonus piece that the dog could now reach…

Every time my mother buys the dogs bones, now, Rocky will take them outside and wait for the magpie to come down and start the excavation. Teamwork? Innovative thinking? I don’t really know, but to me it was a wonderful illustration of two totally different species working together, Rocky having thought through the easiest way to achieve his goal with a little help from another black and white friend…!

I couldn’t finish without mentioning cats… of course… sometimes my cats make it all too clear what they think of me. Other times, our thoughts are perfectly in synch…

One thing is for certain though, Madame La Princesse, Charlie, thinks she has us all wrapped around her dainty little paw… She’s not wrong either!

Petalite and Pets

An irresistible alliterative title there, as inevitable as my interaction through my life with various representatives of the Animal Kingdom…otherwise known as pets.

Perhaps as my father was a vet, my upbringing with animals was inevitable really, to some degree, but on the whole, animals have brought a lot of love, joy and loyalty to my life. When I was a little girl, I was quite solitary, but never lonely, as I lived in a magical world where animals could talk and were a lot nicer than people…

And of course cats. Always cats, and apart from a sad time in my life when I was homeless and when my old cat Walter died, I have always been accompanied by a cat, or two…or three… or even four.

Not all my pets have been feline though… my parents tried very hard to get me to like ponies, and although I re ad all the right books, like “My Friend Flicka”, “Black Beauty” and “Flambards” I maintained a polite distance from them, even, to my mother’s immense mortification refusing a ride on Paddy McMahon’s great showjumper, Penwood Forge Mill.

We have had rats, mice, hamsters and gerbils – I love rats, they make wonderful pets, clean and intelligent and far less aggressive than hamsters. We briefly had terrapins; I remember my mother rescuing one, quite a large one, from miserable circumstances in a pet shop. Amusingly, it bit her – I’m usually the one who gets bitten – and was soon re-homed at a petting zoo, where our pet sheep lived.

Cats and dogs stay though, in our lives and hearts and remain in my memory as beloved family members. Presently, we have our four girls and Lucky the budgie…

As well as assorted fish and frogs in the pond outside… still petted and cossetted though, as unbeknownst to my partner I spent an entertaining half hour watching him dig up worms and feed them to our frogs.

But there is an honesty and openess about how animals deal with us, of which humans all too often take advantage, of how they co-exist with us and which really, as we are all children of Mother Earth, we should learn to respect. Petalite has a fitting vibration for this day and age.

Sometimes known as the Angel Stone, its pure high, vibration raises the consciousness and opens the path to higher communication. Its wonderfully pale, yet vibrant colour can be used to enhance the experience of meditation.

Petalite is both protective and uplifting, taking you to a higher spiritual dimension where there is emotional safety and insight. You can review your ancestral and family relationships and ascertain whether they need healing.

As a high vibrating crystal, Petalite opens the doorway for you to enhance your own self-knowledge, honestly and without pretence, cleansing your aura and detaching negative emotions.

Live in truth, love and friendship. Now, more than ever.

Opals And Obedient Cats

There is a phrase… “like herding cats” which is generally taken to mean a frustrating and pointless task, as cats are notorious for wanting to do their own thing, and responding unwillingly to any form of training.

My partner was not a cat person… until he met me… and he was fascinated to see how first Walter, then the girls, learned and responded to us and their environment. They all know their names and answer to them, and I said to him:

“Well, what do you expect them to do… ignore you?”

Which they do, actually, as he is definitely Number Two Cat Parent.

Like any responsible parent, I have tried to teach my girls the basics: “No,” “Sweets,” “Down,” “Come”, “Up” and so on, as it is useful to have them understand some basic manners too – entirely another matter as to whether the choose to comply or not.

I have come to the conclusion that cats understand extremely well the actual concept of obedience… if what you would like them to do coincides with their intentions at the moment, then all well and good and everyone is happy…

Opals are traditionally associated with bad luck and unhappiness, although it’s really a beautiful crystal and the highest grade is used in jewellery.

My son bought me this green Kiwi Opal, and it is one of the kindest crystals I have encountered, encouraging spontaneity and creativity, whilst gently releasing inner conflicts and inviting spirit and body to work as a united whole.

Thus it is a useful stone to possess and use if you feel repressed or confined. The opal nurtures and makes the owner aware of the benefits that come from being nurtured, a calming, caring and co-operative stone.

Fire Opal – helps initiate new ideas and stir enthusiasm, Yellow Opal – for emotional stability, called the ‘Stone of Hope’

Opal contains more water than most crystals usually do, which is perhaps what aids it attune its own vibration with its owner, as opals quickly synchronised with their owners. Of course, Opal comes in various forms (thank you Lizian for letting me play with the pretty stones…) but the underlying crystal properties are the same.

Pink Opals to help heal emotions, bring compassion and ease painful memories…

Its varied and beautiful colours awaken the spirit of creativity, while its gentle, almost motherly vibe encourages us to communicate honestly and kindly with one another, helping where we can and caring too. Always.

Flat Stones and Fluffy Cats…

Flat stones, or palm stones as they are more commonly known, have a satisfaction to them inherent in their shape and a comfort all their own, that can be immediately felt as soon as you pick one up.

Being flat, they are obviously a lot easier to transport in pockets. They are lovely to balance in each hand during meditation for convenience as well as reaping the benefit of the crystal’s own individual properties; likewise, they are ideal for using during a session of Reiki or crystal healing.

Moss Agate… calming and empowering, connected to Mother Earth

Again, as they are polished and shaped, the crystal energy can be contained and directed. A little exercise I like to do in times of stress, not mindfulness exactly, more like giving yourself space to breathe and time to collect your thoughts…

Jade for wealth, wisdom and peace…

Hold your palm stone, and just have a quick look at it, to fix its visual appearance in your memory. Then just hold it in your closed hand and re-trace, in your mind, every aspect of its appearance, every little inclusion, every flaw, every irregularity and travel the landscape of your stone in your mind.

Fluorite is protective and calming and varied in colour…

Just really, as I said, a little exercise to give yourself a moment’s pause. I found out something lovely the other day – (I’m really sorry, but I can’t remember where it came from, so thank you unknown knowledge benefactor…) – that all these little chips and cracks in your crystals are called empathy flaws, and are said to mirror your own emotional journey.

These palm stones have a lovely, tactile comfort to them as well… just like cat fur… My four girls all have different textures of fur, none of them really have the long coat that I would call fluffy. Their fur is still wonderful all the same! Much to my regret, I am allergic to rabbits, event though I had them as pets as a little girl…love fluffy bunnies…

Tooty has a very thick undercoat to her fur, with a sleek black overlay, and just the one spot of white…

Ting has wonderful shades in her fur, ranging from from coffee through to mud, even though it is quite coarse to the touch on her back, her tummy fluff is quite soft – even her whiskers are bi-coloured!…

Lily has fur like a little fire demon, soft black and glossy, yet when the sun catches it, shades of burnished gold and chocolate.

And of course, Madame La Princesse. She has the softest, most delectable fur… if Keats were still alive, I’m quite sure he would write an ode entirely devoted to the quality of her covering… it’s soft, it’s silky and if I could bottle the way it smells, I’d make a fortune.

Like the palm stones, there is a comfort and warmth in the very shape of a curled up fluffy cat; a continuity symbolised by the roundness of their shapes, flowing and infinite.

Multi-layered Red and Golden Tiger’s Eye for courage, determination and protection

Balls! And… Bad Cats…

A Clear Quartz sphere… excellent for clarity of thought, overall body healing as well as amplifying the effects of other crystals…

Balls. A satisfying word and an equally satisfying crystal shape… The word can be used as a derogatory exclamation of disbelief, mainly because it is used as a slang term for… um…men parts. Or it can be used as a grudging admission of admiration, as in: “I can’t believe she had the balls to do that.”

Either way, a wonderfully satisfying word in the mouth and form in the hand. Not only are the polished crystal spheres extremely tactile but they have an esoteric history behind them that is rich in meaning and symbolism.

Honey Calcite to enhance intellect and memory and ease the challenges of change…

Along with black cats – of which I have two – crystal balls – of which I have many – are traditionally associated with witches and foretelling the future… but they can also be used in Reiki and acupressure, and of course the individual crystal will bring its own healing properties too.

Rose Quartz, my personal favourite crystal, a stone of unconditional love and happiness, promoting positivity while nourishing and comforting… 

As a sphere, a ball, the shape symbolises wholeness and infinity, the unity between body and spirit. They can help call forth the integrity within you and encourage clear thinking. As the crystal vibration is contained within this particular shape, the actual energy is emitted gently in all directions when the ball is used.

A Yellow Calcite sphere to boost energy levels, self confidence and hope… 

Now… I don’t believe that any animal is ever consciously “bad”… perhaps bad-tempered. Charlie can be hideously grumpy if you catch her at the wrong time of day… my son and I both bear scars as proof of this. Other people may see my cats as being “badly behaved”… like it is a bone of contention as to exactly who has ripped up the carpet in the hallway…

I don’t for one minute think it’s Charlie, even though she is known for being a little free with the old toe knives… this is because I actually witnessed, with my own eyes, innocent Tooty, who wouldn’t say “boo” to a goose, digging her claws in luxuriously and pulling…

Cats are mostly motivated by curiosity and self-preservation, therefore when they do what may be considered “bad” things, like digging up a favourite garden plant, they are merely demonstrating extreme examples of natural behaviour. Cats aren’t naturally, thinkingly bad…

Guest appearance from Ozzy, looking suitably mischievous!

Charlie! Charlie! Stop dragging Alex around by his head! He’s not a prey item you know…

Strawberry Quartz and Sparkling Cats

When I was a little girl I went through a phase when I would only eat strawberry jam sandwiches -white bread, crusts cut off – and fishfingers. Not together, obviously…

I don’t like fishfingers now, but I am still quite fond of jam, so I was delighted when my son’s lovely crystal lady Lizian identified this piece of quartz as Strawberry Quartz. It reminds me of a spoonful of good quality jam and brings with it the same sense of simple happiness I get when spreading jam on hot buttered toast…

Metaphysically, then, I was pleased to learn that Strawberry Quartz does bring joy and awareness to life. It’s a happy, uncomplicated stone that shows you the humour in life and how to live every aspect of it with this sense of light and love.

It works with the heart chakra to gift your life with love and positivity, so you can shed old, negative thought patterns, pinpointing the causes and transform them into new and more hopeful ways of living. A sugar boost for the soul, a burst of sparkling energy and joy…

“Sparkling” can be used in various descriptive ways; it may seem a harder-edged word than something like the softer “glowing”, but I enjoy it as it brings crystalline qualities to mind.

I love to see the play of sunlight in my black cats’ fur, Lily and Tooty, as the light touches each hair with sparkle and bestows a rainbow radiance…

I love Ting’s blue eyes, that sparkle with adoration as she looks at me… slightly cross-eyed.

And of course, there is Charlie. My little princess is possessed of a sparkling intellect. Seriously. She’s the most intelligent cat I’ve ever known.

Two summers ago, I made up a song about Charlie…as you do… and I used to sing it to her, quite a lot. It had a particular name in it, which I called her, so imagine my surprise when last year, the same name was used in the lyrics of a song for a soft drink… then this year, the song was released as part of a compilation album.

My little cat has demonstrated a sensitivity to music that I was not aware felines had. Unless it’s just my singing… but the first time she heard the song for the drink, she looked at me with interest, obviously recognising the words. Then, as the advert was played… again… and again…she grew visibly weary of it and slightly irritated by it.

I heard the advert for the compilation advert for the first time the other day and thought:

“Oh no! She’ll think I’ve done it on purpose…!!”

Then it just so happened, I was in bed, Charlie was lying at the end of the bed and my son popped in to say goodnight. The advert played. I said:

“Uh-oh! Watch her!”

When Charlie heard her special song, she turned around to look at me and her face said, clear as day,

“I suppose you think that’s funny. It’s just plain childish!”

She gave me such a contemptuous look, I shrank back into my duvet, while my son started to laugh…

Just one example of Madame La Princesse’s sparkling intellect …. and ability to make me, a not inconsiderably-sized human, feel about two inches tall…The song? No! I’m not telling you! Oh…all right then…enjoy!

Zooby Doo

Flint and Fear

The very first stone that I can remember being actively drawn to and picking up was actually a piece of Flint. I felt it had some sort of story to tell me… Not surprisingly, Flint and humans have a long-standing connection.

It was one of the first stones to work for Man in the creation of fire and tool making, both means of fending off fear for the early Man. Thus Flint manages both male and female energies, and perhaps harking back to its earliest connection with humans as tools, can be used to spiritually sever negative thought patterns, sharpening thought and response to any challenges that Life may put in your path.

It is another highly protective stone and will shield you from curses and ill wishes; and again, has the dual purpose of both helping to keep you grounded, yet acknowledge and come tot terms with your own spirituality… A stone of comfort and ability, a metaphysical pacifier, if you will…

Despite the common usage of the term “scaredy cat”, I wouldn’t say that my cats are particularly fearful… unlike me. I’m afraid of loud noises… the dentist… spiders… deep water. Well. I could go on. But my feline family demonstrate what I prefer to think of as a healthy sense of self-preservation… apart from Charlie (of course) who has the soul of a tiger captured within her small furry body.

She terrified a fox once… it was passing through the garden, minding its vulpine business, and stopped to have a look in the pond. Our landing window overlooks that part of the garden so I am able to bear witness to Charlie’s fearlessness.

My little cat spied the hapless fox and at once began walking menacingly down the path towards it. And as she walked… she fluffed…. Until by the time the fox looked up, it was being pummelled by a tabby tiger striped fur bomb…. It fled. Rapidly… leaving a rather large tuft of its fur behind on the hedge as it forced its way through in panic.

I went rushing downstairs to comfort my little cat, but she was:

“No worries. I had that. Got rid of the large, stinky squirelly looking thing…”

However, fear, no matter how irrational it may seem, is there to serve a purpose. This response is part of the human psyche, deep-rooted, for self-preservation where the primary response to a threat is flight, fight or freeze. As mankind evolved, progressed, adapted, our fears became more complex… fear of failure, of not fitting in or matching up to expectations.

Sometimes, we may feel that these fears will overwhelm us, that we are alone. Sometimes, the first step to overcoming these fears is to reach out, hold out your hand, feel the warmth and the love and know that you are not alone.