Destiny of a stone
The first stone & crystal grid of 2018. The bodhisattva of compassion, Kuan Yin, surrounded by chalcopyrite, labradorite, onyx, and Lemurian seed crystals & quartz points.
It may seem odd to some, this work with stones and crystals. It seemed odd to me when the stones first came calling. That's how it unfolded for me, they literally started calling—in dreamtime, in meditation, on walks. I honestly questioned my sanity. It was strange, peculiar and entirely unexpected. I've come to realize that many of the best things in life arrive this way, with an invitation to weave the threads into the fabric of our life until if feels as though they were always there.
The stones first came calling during my initiations on the sacred mountain, Apu Ausangate, in Peru. After many days of ceremony and hiking, it didn't seem out of place at all, it was part of the deep immersion into the majesty and the medicine of the landscape. Stones wanting to be picked up, some carried home, but most just moved here or there or held for a few moments. You've likely done this too on your wanderings at some point in life, most likely when you were a child. We don't readily question these things when we're children, we trust in the magic. It was only when I returned home that I noticed something was different about my relationship to the stones. During meditations I would see a stone and feel compelled to go find it. Sometimes I knew just which rock shop to visit, or where it was located outside, and other times I would make the rounds of the shops until I recognized the stone I was in search of. Late at night after my man-cub was in bed, I would venture into my healing space and, following my inner guidance, arrange the stones into geometric patterns. I felt a bit like a mad scientist in her laboratory, on the verge of some great discovery, and I had very little conscious idea what the heck I was doing!
It wasn't until I undertook the formal study of Chinese stone and crystal medicine, rooted in the Taoist lineage, that I began to more clearly understand the beautiful and potent energies of the stones. My teacher would talk about stones having a destiny to fulfill, just like us humans. Although now it's been several years of working with the stones, it was only a few nights ago that I came to experience the truth of the destiny of a stone.
During a meditation just before bed, I recognized and clearly felt the call of a stone, a piece of chalcopyrite, also known as Peacock Ore. It was a stone that my sweet man-cub had chosen for me 4 1/2 years ago, when he was not even 3 years old. He was with his Grammy while I was away at a shamanic training and I clearly remember him proudly handing this stone to me when we reunited. The journey of that stone beyond that moment is a mystery to me. I got out of bed and scoured the house searching for its whereabouts and after almost an hour had a sinking feeling that perhaps I'd given it away or left it on the land at our previous home 2,300 miles away. It's a humble looking stone and it could have been anywhere. I sat quietly and asked if I needed THAT particular stone or if it was more important that I connect with the energy of the stone. Turns out the stone itself was important. I asked it to tell me where it was and lo and behold within moments, I saw where it was tucked away in safe keeping and went to retrieve it.
Chalcopyrite aka Peacock Ore - an uplifting stone that cultivates happiness. It grounds nervous energy which allows the body and mind to let go of stress and become calm. It can be used to enhance our perception and to awaken inner sight. Removes energy blockages, cleansing, activating and aligning the chakras and energy bodies at the same time. Helps banish fears and doubts and soothe the emotions. Traditionally used to stimulate new ideas & find lost objects.
I slept with the stone under my pillow that night and learned firsthand what my teacher had been explaining about the destiny of a stone. My dreamtime was a curious journey that felt deeply familiar and I awoke in the morning clutching the stone in my hand. The stone had taken me to ancient places that I recognized and knew so well despite being in foreign lands and specific locations I've never visited in this lifetime. When I awoke I felt more joyful, more whole. In the shamanic tradition we refer to this experience as a form of soul retrieval, reclaiming parts of the soul that have been lost either somewhere along our ancestral line or through trauma of some kind. I knew that this stone had called me to reclaim lost threads that I'm now ready to weave into the tapestry of my life.
As I spent the morning reading about the properties of this stone, one of the healing gifts that was listed time and again is "a stone that helps you locate what has been lost." Now the examples given were physical objects we lose or misplace, but this attribute runs much deeper. This stone helped me find some part of my essence, left behind generations or lifetimes ago, in foreign lands, in dreamtime. It had called to my toddler son who listened and helped it along. Then it patiently waited for 4 1/2 years until the divine time arrived, and it called. This is the destiny of a stone. They are extraordinary gifts and allies for our human sojourn on the Earth. Stones and crystals were privy to the full measure of creation, from the beginning, and they are keepers of this wisdom and know how.
Once again I'm reminded that THIS is why I work with the stones. They are potent resources for healing, insights, and a powerful reminder of how much we are loved and never forgotten. So next time a stone catches your eye while you're walking, or you're drawn to one in a shop, take the time to pick it up and ask it to share its story with you. Just like the ancient trees, the mountains, and each one of us, the stones have stories to tell and medicine to share. I invite you to listen when a stone calls to you, because meeting you might just be the fulfillment of its destiny.
