To a lover of Suiseki stones I have always believed that rocks can be imbued with a soul. People have always loved the spirituality of rocks, gems and minerals. From the earliest practitioners of ‘Shinto’ in Japan to Korea where there is a tradition of shamanistic rock worship that if anything is even more striking. This is a lovely link to one of these parks in Japan.

1) Rocks can give off a spiritual energy through which people were moved to worship the universal life force and metaphysically some of this has attracted charlatans who simply want to push a product. Not so different than modern medicine. So said this rock collector and skeptic who strangely surrounded his body with stones he felt he needed. Some of us just are a bit dense when it comes to accepting the luminosity of revelations.

2) In Suiseki rocks serve as representations of mountains, and the mountains were the abode of the gods being closest to heaven. Animal shaped rocks represented to the shaman the spirit energy of these fellow beings.

3) Rocks were used as altars before which worship was carried out… and be it Stonehenge or the Kaba (Black Stone) of Mecca faith they remain places that are greatly revered. Did it really fall from heaven?

4) Meteorite have a singular significance and meteorites are treasured by most cultures. The Inuit of the Canadian arctic are but one example of that valuation.

 These shamanistic practices still flow strongly and it was with interest that I read that the Bluestone rocks from Wales mysteriously transported to Stonehenge over hundreds of miles had special healing properties. Until recent protection people traveled to Stonehenge for the purpose of breaking off a piece of rock to be used as a good-luck object. 

 

In the following collage, both the first and the lower right quartz crystals have double scepter heads and were seated upon a growing stem as this picture shows. In digging these out the stem usually breaks off, hut I re-connected it to make this photograph.

Anyone who doesn’t believe that rocks aren’t ‘alive’ should see one of these. They grow much like a mushroom would, except it takes thousands of years. The ‘Scepter’ name because that is what they remind one of..

I checked on my own metaphysical interpretations and what I had sitting in my bedroom. Laugh and edit as you will. Joan Laine who shared some pictures suggested a few I might need. Guess what? I had just dropped that rock (kyanite) and had purchased its replacement. Others such as her green calcite I do not even have. Some interpretations may be hogwash. Yet somehow I had surrounded my own bed with the following stones. Go Figure!

Snakeskin Agates, by my bed are something to cherish. Only found in the North West and in China. (One agate worry stone as well.)

Here are my interpretations of the stones I seem to have need of!

• Agates: Agates attract strength and offers protection from bad dreams, stress and energy drains. Agates with banded colors can be placed at the head of a sleeper to give rich and varied dreams. Calming properties, cool fevers. Green Agate luck, wealth, longevity and help one to breathe better.

 

Fire Agate. Vitality, sexuality and inspires spiritual and physical energies and creativity.

Moss agates are considered the most powerful of the agates. It was the agate of warriors and helps balance emotional energy. Moss agate jewelry or in my case a worry stone  is believed to bring the wearer stability, grounding and persistence.

Joan Laine’s Carnelian agate is beyond beautiful.

Carnelian: (An agate) Against fire and misfortune. Stone of protection and helps with the unblocking of sexual energies, healing past traumas in the root chakra. Stone of creativity vitality and can help the body detox from too much alcohol or drugs. 

 

Hematite: is believed to aid with logical thinking, enhancing memory, understanding technical knowledge, original thinking, and mathematics. Improves the quality of the blood. This stone helps keep one grounded and protects from psychic attack. It helps with keeping one balanced, aids in dreams and making them manifest.

• Howlite: can aid with knowledge and memory, as well as promote truthfulness, inner strength, and good moral character.
• Jaspers: All Jaspers have excellent protective and grounding energies • Picture Jasper: is believed to enhance the relationship between humans and nature, promoting global awareness and a desire to protect the planet. If so my 5, 10 and 20 lb. blocks should help.
  
• Obsidian: The stone of truth. Often used for scrying because of its black mirror like surface. Obsidian comes into a person’s life when it is necessary to unearth hidden truths. Often used in past life layouts.

]Snowflake obsidian can calm and soothe and open the mind to seeing unhealthy patterns in behavior, thus opening the door to change. Stone of purity providing balance of mind, body and spirit. This obsidian assists with managing grief and dispel ‘victim consciousness – inspires belief in oneself.

• Mahogany Obsidian: This obsidian is said to help with inner reflection, mirroring our flaws while bringing self-acceptance, helping with decision making, and allowing us to make significant change in difficult areas of our lives. Mahogany protects from psychic attacks and keeps one grounded.
• Petrified Wood: Petrified wood is powerful in removing obstacles and can be used to assist in reaching goals that you are having trouble with or to smooth a path for any endeavor. Strength and wisdom, protection in later years. This stone can assist anyone who is feeling stuck or experiencing being frozen in time. It helps to create balance and offers a foundation from which to launch new goals or undertake a different path. Petrified wood is also a wonderful grounding stone. It helps calm scattered energies. This black twenty pound specimen is on my other bedside counter.
  

 • Shattuckite: The writers stone. Helps with creativity by keeping one focused when writing. Assists with channeling. This is a very powerful stone when one is blocked. And it is just a very beautiful and gentle stone to hold. It brings courage, strengthening communication and concentration, while providing strong focus in daily routines. Strange that I have none and let one go at the last rock show.

Joan suggested I might need a Stone for dealing with forgiveness, hurts by others. I just added this next one to my bedside.

• Kyanite: One of only two stones which never needs cleansing or clearing (citrine being the other), kyanite is a bridge between mind and matter; a powerful stone of manifestation toward reaching your hopes, dreams and desires. These are from Aluminum and Titanium rich Mica Pegmatite. Kyanite gets its name from “Kyanos”, which means “blue” in Greek and is an Aluminium Silicate crystal formation.

Neither by my bed was –

Citrine:  known as the stone of abundance. It is often placed in the wealth corner of homes in feng shui practices. The stone assists in improving financial situations. Mediating with stone provides mental clarity. It is also one of the rare stones that does not need cleansing. It represents courage and self-discipline. Aids in matters of daily living and opening the mind to new thoughts, and is often used to increase self-esteem.

In feng shui, river rocks are a way to incorporate more earth into an environment.  The grounded energy provided by these river smoothed stones can bring about many positive changes when applied correctly. They are an ideal example of what can happen when water meets land; two elements collaborating to creating something beautiful, natural and auspicious. I am not sure if my tumbling machine meets those criteria, 🙂  but the ocean polished ‘turtle rocks’ would.

 The section representing wealth is in the left back corner of the home from the front door. Naturally then this is a good place to enhance for wealth. OMG that’s where my bed is. And I put the calcite by my feet! Replacements are occuring as we speak!

Mind you Calcites can be bright yellow, green, blue or near anything you can imagine. All but the green are in my collection.

Which in a way beings ME to worry stones or worry beads still used by Catholics and Muslims alike. Komboloi worry beads are a Greek fidget toy, used to relieve stress and generally pass the time. Making your own set for fun or stress relief can be done with just a few inexpensive supplies. Natural materials such as stone, amber, and wood are to be considered.

During important conversations or even thinking about things by ourselves, we can find ourselves getting caught up in “what was” and “what if.” You can use your beads for grounding when you find yourself worrying about the past or the future.

By remaining grounded in the present, you will be more open to listening and accepting life as it is, rather than as you wish it to be.

Worry beads made from different materials, like semi-precious stones, bones, horns, wood, amber and corals. Mixing Olive, Koa, birch woods with stones not only makes sense but is more attractive for the combination. The choice of wood might depend upon your needs and some embody masculine or female energy.

What’s Your Favorite Picture or Story about  stones or favorite woods? Where and when did you find that special sacred tree? What kind of a tree or special spiritual site was it?  This would of course be a new topic yet to be done.

(C) Herbert Senft 2015

Moclips rock