Stone Flowers

Recently, I bartered a reading for a stone necklace. The woman who made the necklace selected the pieces and fitted them together in a special combination for me. I will wear it as another tool for focusing my energy and reinforcing my daily practices that will bring more positive change into my life, energizing my visions and grounding my actions.

When I was younger I collected stones because it was something I could do for free. Sometimes I just picked up rocks because I thought they wer beautiful or liked the feel of them. Whenever friends or relatives went on a vacation, I would always ask them to bring me back a rock. After a while, they just did this without anything being said. My collection grew.

Later, I got a few books to learn about what the different kinds of rocks were. It interested me to know that there were some stones formed by fire, some by water, some by the forces of the earth. That explained various bandings, pigments and textures. After looking at many rock samples, it was easy to see how the various energies acted to create different kinds of rocks.

As I grew up and moved, the rock collection got left behind as many different things were demanding my attention.

Later I found that having rocks border my garden seemed to add to the beauty and energy of the garden. I went on a crystal digging trip to Arkansas and many of them were broken chunks. I did not bleach them, but left them colored with the orangey earth they were dug from. My garden was always very abundant, and the crystals seemed to enhance them. I also put crystals at the bottom of every potted plant for drainage and energy.

I traded with another woman recently who does wonderful crystal healing work and uses the crystals as conductors and amplifiers of energy in her healing sessions.

Fascinating how many, many years after I collected rocks that I first learned that there were healing properties attributed to them. Suddenly I saw the stones in a whole new light. And it made sense to me in a whole different way.

In my own work, I do not limit myself to gemstones. In fact, I am more likely to use found objects like the heart shaped rock I always keep on my table when I do readings. The heart shape is natural, the stone is not cut or polished. I keep it on the table as a reminder to always use my heart energy in my work.

Stones are gifts from the earth, compact pieces of earth energy that are readily available for any person to use. Trees, herbs, flowers, fruits and vegetables are all gifts from the earth. Stones are the earth. Root material for our rituals, healings and practical uses. Being grounded is keeping close to the earth. Carrying some with us is a way to affirm our being on this planet and working with it. We walk on it, and we also draw strength from it. Stones are flowers of another dimension.